1 Part Vinegar, 2 Parts Olive Oil, 1 Half Tsp Salt
by NCISgirl1527
Summary: It was a mission they never saw coming. The team must risk everything to save a friend. A friend who is believed to be dead. Tiva, Jibbs, McAbby, and Kate/OC.
1. Words That Changed the World

_**Hi again people. This I a new story I am writing but you knew that. My dad actually challenged me that I could not write a story involving a Terrorist attack on Omaha with this title, I had a couple of people helping me, but I did the actual writing.  
Ideas: Maroon-bassoon-755 and TomorrowNeverCame.  
Beta: ranae-ultor  
Spoilers: none.  
Disclaimer: No I do not own it other wise Divided Loyalties would be the first episode of season seven.**_

Tony looked up as he finished his paperwork and realized that he was alone in the bullpen. Gibbs, McGee, and Ziva had disappeared, as they usually did, which both annoyed and scared him**.** Gibbs was probably getting coffee. That was what he was usually doing when he was not at his desk and they did not have a case. It was actually a fairly good bet even if they did have a case. McGee was probably down visiting Abby and Ziva. Ziva was probably doing something secret spy like**, **which he didn't want to particularly know about. He opened his desk and got out his GSM magazine, a last resort in tough times**.** 'Oh well,' he thought to himself, 'at least Gibbs won't see me reading this.

ABBY'S LAB

"Hi, Abby," McGee said as he walked into the lab.

"McGee," she ran and hugged him. "What is going on?"

"Um. It is Friday afternoon and we have finished all our paperwork and we have an hour to kill**." **McGee realized it sort of came out wrong, and that was confirmed by Abby's expression.

"Is that the only reason you are down here? You want to kill time?" Abby said in mock outrage making her hand into a fist and showing off her spiky bracelet.

"No, I enjoy spending time with you." He said nervously, "Oh and I brought you this." He held up a Caf-Pow.

Abby seized it. "Good answer, McGee, good answer."

COFFEE STORE

"Hello sir," a smiling waitress greeted Gibbs as he walked in.

"Coffee," he barked at her in his usual way**. **Couldn't they keep one damn waitress for a period of time longer than two days?

"Yes sir, what would you like in it?"

"Coffee." The woman was definitely new as the usual waitress would have known exactly what he wanted.

"Anything else?" She asked sweetly.

"If I wanted anything else I would have told you. I want good pure coffee. Nothing else, and don't you dare bring me back a cheep coffee substitute." He barked at her and she nodded, scuttling back behind the counter. She returned minutes later with his coffee. He took a sip, nodded thoughtfully; smirking inwardly at the waitress' slightly scared expression (she must have discovered who he was due to gossiping with fellow waiters and waitresses)**, **paid, and left.Maybe she wasn't as completely hopeless as he thought.

DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

"Ha!" Jenny triumphantly exclaimed slapping her hand down on the pile of cards on her desk and sent them flying across the room. Ziva smirked.

"What?" said Jenny, a little defensively.

Ziva amusedly gazed at Jenny with her dark eyes, before picking up a card and twirling it with her slender fingers, shaking her head.

"That would explain how I hit the pile faster than you did." Jenny looked at Ziva, sighing in defeat. "I guess you win again. Granted you were trained by Mossad."

"You were trained by Gibbs." Ziva shot back.

"So were you," Jenny pointed out. "So who do you think gives a harder training. Mossad or Gibbs?"

This question did not need thought. The two women looked at each other fleetingly then spoke in unison, "Gibbs." Both of them laughed.

The door burst open as usual and a particular Leroy Jethro Gibbs strode in as if interrupting a private gathering was one of the most natural things in the world. He lifted an eyebrow, after having heard the mention of his name just as he was about to enter. He had to smile at his agent and the director sitting on either side of the desk with cards strewn across the desk and floor.

"We were deciding whether you were tougher than Mossad." Jenny stated as she looked up at Gibbs, smiling. "We think you are." Gibbs smiled at Jenny, while Ziva fought the urge to roll her eyes at the pair of them.

"Why are there cards all over the place?" Gibbs asked. The two women glanced at each other again.

"Jenny got a little overeager to beat me." Jenny glared at Ziva while Gibbs chuckled.

"Did she?" He asked laughing and looking at Jenny who was now glaring at him instead of Ziva.

"Nope." Ziva stated with a straight face, then finally breaking into laughter. Jenny was unable to keep up her sulky exterior, and started laughing too as the pair of them began to pick up the cards, which seemed to be endlessly strewn across the dark carpet**.**

Finally, after what seemed to be forever, they finished.

"We are missing one," Jenny said, as she counted the cards.

"Here you go," Gibbs said, handing her the last card. She glanced at it and then when he was not looking, she stashed it her pocket instead of in the deck.

Ziva noticed and opened her mouth to ask Jenny about it, but decided that it was not a good idea with Gibbs being around and alland quickly changed her question**.** "Do you two what to come over to my house for dinner with the rest of the team?"

"Sure," Jenny replied as Gibbs nodded, liking the idea to spend time with his dysfunctional 'family"**.** Ziva smiled and then left the office. When she walked into the bullpen, she saw Tony sitting alone and reading his GSM magazine, by the dim light of his desk lamp.

"Hey, Tony," Ziva said whispered, directly behind him, inches from his face**. **He jumped comically, fell out of his chair, and landed on the floor all in a single movement**. **

"Must you do that?" He asked her annoyed and shivering slightly as he lifted himself off the floor.

"Yes," Ziva said, smiling sweetly at him. "Do you want to come to my house for dinner?" Tony felt his heart skip a beat. Ziva was inviting him over to dinner. Did his deepest, darkest dreams just come true? "The rest of the team will be there too." The bubble of hope burst with a pop. It definitely was not a candle-night dinner with alcohol…probably the closest he could get to Ziva tonight was sit next to her. Maybe steal a passionate kiss or two…yet with Gibbs watching, this would probably be next to impossible. They would not be alone, but dinner with Ziva was dinner with Ziva.

"Yea, sure I would love to come."

Ziva smiled warmly at him and his heart skipped again, thudding against his ribcage**.** She half wished it could be just the two of them but that was a bad idea on so many levels. They were partners, nothing more, as they had both agreed."See you later."

She walked away from the bullpen and seconds later she walked into Abby's lab. "Hi."

She walked away from the bullpen and seconds later was met with the pounding music of Abby's favorite band at the time, which loved to mix screeching, bloodcurdling sound effects with screaming noises, yet it was not turned as high as it usually was. McGee was whimpering in a corner, wincing every two seconds, Ducky sat in a chair, sleepy, nodding along with the beat.

"Abby!" she called. The Goth spun around, her black pumps hindering her for a second. 

"Ziva!" Abby yelled as she hugged her.

"Hello, Abby," Ziva said releasing her self from Abby's hug and turning to the other two people in the room. "Hello, McGee. Hello, Ducky. Hey, do you guys want to come to my place for dinner tonight?"

"Defiantly," McGee said as he glanced at Abby who was nodding vigorously.

"Of course, my dear. I would love to come." Ducky said smiling at her.

"Fantastic, see you all tonight," Ziva called as she exited. 

ZIVA'S APARTMENT

By six thirty that evening, the entire team was sitting around Ziva's dinning room table_. _The glossy dark chestnut table was soon to groan under the weight of all of Ziva's cooking. The atmosphere was relaxed, everyone softening after a glass of sparkling red as they talked. The group had just started their salads. "Munph miph memy muod." Tony mumbled through a mouth full of salad. Gibbs glared at him and everyone laughed. Tony swallowed then spoke again. "What I was trying to say was that this was really good."

Ziva gazed at him genially. "Thanks." 

"What exactly is this dressing made out of?" As Ziva opened her mouth, the doorbell tinkled, causing all eyes to focus on the door. Surprised, she walked over and opened the door. A mailman stood there, with a black jacket**.**

"Here you go." The mailman announced then walked away before Ziva could utter a question, or even a thanks**.** She looked down at the letter in her hand, and slowly opened it. She opened it gasped, the letter tumbling out of her loose grasp. Everyone looked at her and Jenny came up beside her.

"What does it say?" Jenny questioned her.

Ziva's hand trembled as she picked up the letter. She read it aloud in a small voice "Ziva. I have escaped the Hamas Terrorist cell. I am in Omaha, Nebraska. I need your help and anyone else who cares to help. I can't hold them off for long. Please come."

"Who sent it?" Gibbs interrupted the long silence.

Ziva did not answer and when Jenny tugged the letter out of her hand she knew why. "Oh my God," she whispered under her breath, her glassy green eyes wide with surprise**.**

"Jen, who sent it?"

"Kate."

_**Ha Ha. Minor cliff hanger there. Please review.**_


	2. What Really Happened Three Years Ago

_**Chapter two. Thanks for all the reviews. I hope that this answers some of the questions you had. Thanks to all the people I mentioned in the first chapter.  
Disclaimer: What do you think?  
Spoilers: None. **_

There was a silence that filled the entire room. McGee and Abby looked at each other in confusion, unable to pinpoint the source of the silence**.** Tony and Gibbs could not mask their expressions of anger and betrayal, while Ducky and Jenny looked worried. Ziva had sunk on to the couch with her head in her hands. Gibbs found his voice first. "What the hell is going on, Officer David?"

Jenny, who was sitting solemnly beside Ziva**, **glared at him. "Jethro give her a minute." He was so inconsiderate sometimes.

Gibbs returned her fierce glare. "Kate died three years ago. Ziva replaced her, and gained my trust by avenging her. That was all faked and you want me to wait a minute to let her make up a story? Well I won't let that happen!**" **His voice had risen in volume as he condemned Ziva.

"Let me rephrase that…. request. All of you, get out of here now!" Jenny's voice was just slightly lower than Gibbs', but she was just as angry. Most of them shuffled out of the living room and into the kitchen, but Gibbs had not moved. "Special Agent Gibbs, get out of this room now or I will do something you and I will both regret**"** Gibbs pursed his lips, and then graced them with a twisted smile. After he gave Jenny a look which contained so many emotions, he left without even sparing Ziva a glance. Once Gibbs was out of the room Jenny spoke again. "Ziva what is going on?"

Ziva sat there, motionless, until she felt Jenny's hand gently touch her face. Ziva looked up, and sighed, "Gibbs is right about some things, but I did not try to use his trust, or play NCIS." Jenny was watching Ziva's courage return as Ziva lifted her head.

"Ziva, I have known you for nearly ten years and I know you would never do anything like that, but I do need to know what is going on." Jenny's reassuring tone comforted Ziva.

"Three years ago, Ari Haswari came to the United States on a revenge mission. He was angry at Gibbs for shooting him a year and a half before. I had vetted the entire team for him so he knew their weaknesses and everything necessary to break them. It was before I realized he had gone over to Hamas. I never meant to help Hamas, so when I realized that that he was going to kill someone I came after him." Ziva paused for a quick breath.

"I thought that you came to the States on your father's orders," Jenny interrupted, confused.

"No, I came on my own accord. Once I was here he used me to his advantage just like always, but he did not tell me to come." She paused considering what she was about to say, "I was almost too late. He had set up a trap for Kate and there was no talking him out of it. So I found Kate and told her what was going to happen. I had a plan to protect her. She just had to act dead for a while. It worked better than I could ever have expected. I killed Ari but she still had to leave the country."

"That still does not explain what is going on now." Jenny pointed out.

"That should have been the end of it. She moved to Rome, and I gave her a fake name and a fake past. No one should have been able to find her but apparently they did. I am guessing from her letter that she saw one of the people from Ari's old cell. She fled to the States and contacted me."

Jenny was still confused, "Why did you want to help her in the first place?"

Ziva smiled slightly, "You still question my motives after everything I have told you? I managed to deceive Mossad, NCIS, and Hamas, at least for a while and you want to know why I did it."

"Yes," Jenny replied simply.

"I did it because I did not want my information to cost an innocent person their life. It was just after I realized who Ari really was. The majority of the people he had killed would have been safe if it had not been for my info. I could not change that or rid myself of the guilt I felt, but I could try to save Kate." Ziva's face was, for once, not devoid of all emotion. Her eyes were cloudy with memories of the past, her regrets, her torments. 

Several minutes passed in silence.

"You do know you will have to tell Gibbs and the others," Jenny pointed out after a few long minutes.

Ziva looked up and smiled the first genuine smile since the letter had come.

"No I do not."

"Ziva…" Jenny began

"They were eavesdropping on the entire conversation." She informed Jenny, then turned to the door, "You can come in now." The other five people walked back into the room, McGee with a slightly awkward expression on his face**.** Jenny glared at them but did not say anything,

"Ziva, how could you?" Abby asked, her voice broken and defeated, trembling**. **Her eyes were glistening. "You knew she was still alive and you never told us."

"Abby," Ziva began softly**, **then rose in volume, "I could not tell you. I was protecting Kate. If I told anyone it would risk exposing her."

"But we aren't just anyone. We are your team, your friends, or at least I thought we were." Abby argued as a torrent of angry, salty tears tumbled down her pale cheeks**.**

"Abby…" Ziva began once more, a desperate edge to her tone. She did not know what to say, but it did not matter. Abby had already walked out of the room leaving a stony blanket of silence behind her.

_**How was it? I guess I have some things to fix (plot wise). I will have the next chapter up next week sometime but I am starting camp so I do not know when.**_


	3. A Thousand Miles Across the Country

_**I am so sorry for the long time to update. I had total writers block so it took me a while. This is all from Kate's point of view. I hope it worth waiting for.  
Spoilers: none  
Disclaimer: Not mine**_

A THOUSAND MILES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Kate was pacing to and fro in her room. Each time she turned she threw a nervous glance out the window. It was not a bad little town, she had decided after several turns. Actually there was nothing little about Omaha, Nebraska. She guessed that the only problem that she had with it was that it was not Washington or Rome.

She turned again, noting thatas she did so that she was starting to wear a familiarpattern in the carpet. 'Why Omaha**?'** she asked herself**,** mentally cursing her choice. She could lie**,** and tell herself that it was because Omaha was the last place someone would look for her. She could tell herself that she came to Omaha because it was a diverse community that would allow her to blend in**,** and it was big enough that not everyone would know everyone. She could tell herselfall that**…** but it would be a lie.

She knew deep in her heartthat she had picked Omaha for reasons much less sincere than those. Omaha was the closest thing to DC she could get. Any bigger city would be would be too much of a risk for being seen by Hamas. She could not go home because she was supposed to be dead. She could not go to DC because that was where they would expect her to go and again**,** she was supposed to be dead. She could not go back to Rome because that was where she was supposed to be and where she had been compromised. In a way, there was nowhere left to go, and the isolation hung heavy on her**,** so she had come here.

She needed the comfort of the country she was born in. She needed to know that her friends were only a few hours away. That was if they were still her friends. Tony, McGee, Abby, and Ducky would likely be a little disappointed by her actions**, **but ultimately they were still her friends. Gibbs was a different story. She had worked with Gibbs long enough to know that she was going to be in trouble for not telling him. Then there was Ziva.

Ziva had put everything on the line to help her. Kate knew all too well how dangerous this whole mission had been, and she did not envy the position that Ziva was placed in. Gibbs was going to be mad at Kate for not telling him, but he would be even madder at Ziva due to her background. It was not fair for Kate to pull Ziva back into this and if she had known anyone else to call for help she would have, and saved Ziva from this. Ziva had already done more for her than could have been expected especially since Ziva had never even met Kate until the day before she saved Kate's life.

Ziva could lose her job for doing this. Kate had known that from the start. It was part of the reason she had wanted Ziva not to help. The other part was that she did not want to walk away from everyone and everything she had ever known, while causing the same people pain. The one part of this mission that had come easily to either her or Ziva was that just after it had started, the Director of NCIS had retired. The replacement was Ziva's friend and old partner, Jennifer Sheppard. Kate knew that even if Ziva had no faith in the establishment she would have done it anyway.

Kate stopped pacing, and sank down onto the bed. Her life had been less than perfect from about the time she had started law school. That had been a mistake all of its own, therefore she had quit and joined into the Secret Service. Those five years had been reasonably decent until the end**,** when everything fell apart. NCIS had taken those pieces and put them back together, giving her the two best years of her life. She was not saying thatthose years were painless, because they weren't. Ari holding her hostage multiple times had a lot to do with it. She silently cursed the Stockholm syndrome, which had kept her from stabbing the bastard when she had the chance. A year after Ari kidnapped her, he had come back for her and that was where the whole mess started.

She had known that she was safe from Ari because Ziva would not have rested until he was dead, but she still needed to be protected from the rest of Hamas. Ziva had saved her, but that left Kate with nowhere to go. She had a life, but knew she could not live it as Kate Todd. Ziva had tried to make the move a painless a possible for Kate, which Kate appreciated, so Ziva had chosen Rome because Kate was a Roman Catholic. This struck Kate as very nice of Ziva especially as Ziva had no obligation to Kate whatsoever. Kate had found the three years she spent in Rome quite enjoyable, even though she was on therun from a major terrorist organization.

Things had settled down and she had almost managed to convince herself she was safe. Then she had seen the member of Ari's old cell wandering on the streets of Rome. There was no use worrying about it now, at least not until Ziva got there. She lay back on her bed and fell into an uneasy sleep.

DREAM—ONE WEEK AGO—ROME

Kate walked down the narrow streets of Rome with a basket in one hand. She glanced nonchalantly at a shop window and froze, her muscles tensing with fear. There was a face staring back at her, and it was not just any face. It was the only face she remembered from the time Ari had kidnapped her. This was Ari's right-hand man. Kate's mind filled with panic, but she fought to stay calm so as to not attract any attention from the man**, **whose twisted face seemed rather oblivious to the fact that Kate was standing there.Yet she was sure that her cover was compromised and she walked down the street as quickly as she could. When she reached her house she closed the door quickly behind her**, **bolting it with shaking hands. As her carefully crafted new life crashed down around her ears, she let the tears fall down her cheeks.

END DREAM

Kate jerked up in thehotel bed and looked around, not bothering to stem the tears rolling down her face. There was no one there to see them. She lay back down on the bed as her heart rate returned to normal. She was safe…atleastfor now.

_**So was it good? Was it bad? Please review. **_


	4. For Kate

_**This chapter took me a month to write so I am not sure there is anything that could happen to make me love this chapter, but my Beta had a stab at it. Thank you reane-ultor (please tell me I spelled that right)  
Disclaimer: What do you think?  
Spoilers: Hiatus Part 1 and Twilight sort of **_

Ziva stood up and tried to follow Abby, but Jenny caught her arm. "Leave her alone," Jenny whispered into Ziva' ear.

Ziva shook her head, trying to free herself from Jenny's grasp, "I can't. I need her to understand why I did what I did. I need too."

"Want to explain it to the rest of us, David?" Gibbs asked, his eye narrowed quizzically and his voice low.

Ziva turned to look at him straight in the eye,unflinching. "_You_ know why I did it." Gibbs face did not change at all but there was a small flash of recognition in his eyes. He was still mad at her, but he was starting to understand her motives. He remained silent. Ziva turned on her heel and left the room.

"Why are you mad at her, Jethro?" Jenny murmured. "Is it because she helped Kate and did not tell you? Shouldn't you be thanking her for saving your agent?" Gibbswasspeechless. He was annoyed that Ziva had not trusted him enough to tell him. "I know what you are thinking," Jenny told him quietly.

"No I don't think you do, Jen."

"You are wondering why she did not trust you," Jenny informed him and he looked at her, slightly surprised. He had not thought she could read him that well, not after all these years. He did not reply to her because he did not know what to say. It did not help that Tony was standing there listening to every word.

KITCHEN

Abby was sitting there with her hand**s** over her ear**s**. She wasdeterminedly humming 'Yesterday,' by the Beatles and looking away from Ziva every time Ziva tried to catch her gaze.

"Abby, just listen, please," Ziva mentally noted that was the first time she had used that word in several months. Abby shook her head back and forth before starting to hum again.

Without really registering what she was doing, Ziva reached out and slapped Abby across the face. The memories of the days when Gibbs had been in that explosion flashed back, Abby accusing Ziva of being heartless. A lot had changed. This action made Abby look at Ziva, but instead of pain**,** Abby's face was stormy with anger. Abby reached out to slap Ziva back but found the process impended by someone grabbing her wrist.

"Abby, no," McGee whispered into her ear**, **before asking, "Ziva could we have a moment?"

Ziva was both confused by and grateful for McGee's intervention. She had never seen him take control of a situation before, but she was glad he had stopped it because she did not want Abby to get hurteven more. Back in the living room she sank down into the couch avoiding the looks of the others, while mentally noting it had been a very bad dinner.

---

Back in the kitchen, McGee had let go of Abby's wrist after he was sure that she was not going to hit him. As soon as she was free, Abby whipped around to face McGee. "Why did you stop me?" She demanded of him as he edged away from her spiky wrists. He realized why Abby had always been able to threaten to kill people without leaving any trace of forensic evidence. But he wasn't afraid.

"I didn't want either one of you to get hurt."

"It is to**o** late for that. She was my best friend and she betrayed me. She betrayed all of us. She is the only one not hurt." Abbysunk down into the kitchen chair and buried her head in her hands as she spoke.

"Abby," McGee pointed out**,** sitting next to her, "I think that you are wrong about that. I can't read Ziva's emotions well, but she is still human. How would you feel if we were all mad at you?" Abby's silence was all thatMcGee needed. He continued**, "**I don't think that she was trying to betray us. I think that she was trying to help someone we all cared about."

"What do you mean?" Abby questioned him**,** looking up from her hands.

"I mean that she was listening to Gibbs rules," At the look of Abby's raised eyebrows, McGee continued. "What is rule numberfour?"

"If you have a secret, keep it to yourself. Second best, tell another person. There is not third best," Abby replied grudgingly, and McGee nodded.

"What is rule 18?" He asked her, and she glared at him.

"Better to seek forgiveness than to ask permission." McGee nodded and opened his mouth but Abby cut him off. "Why are you defending her?"

"I'm not defending her. I'm just…" McGee began but Abby cut him off again.

"Yes, you are. After everything she did to us you are stilldefending her," Abby accused him.

"I am not defending her. I am trying to give her the chance to defend herself. She is just as hurt as you are**. **She tried to explain, but you would not listen." McGee gently informed Abby. It was true. He did not know if he believed Ziva, but he wanted to give her the chance to explain herself before they all cast a judgment. Ziva may have lied to them, but if what she said was true then she had only done it to protect Kate and herself from certain death.

Abby had not said anything yet and McGee was beginning to worry that he might have over done it a little.

"I can't listen anymore. I heard what she said before and it does not make any sense. We buried Kate three years ago. She is not coming back to us," Abby suddenly burst out, before pushing herself out of the chair.

"Look, Abby, I don't know what is going on right know. I am lost, but if Ziva is telling the truth, she is going to need us and so is Kate. Give her another chance." McGee requested, hoping against all odds that it would be enough.

"Fine," Abby agreed. She was still furious at Ziva but she would do it for Kate, because Kate needed her.

What happens now? Is everything going to be easy? Well no. (that is all I am saying.) Happy Fourth of July to all those in the states. Well Happy fourth to everyone else but only the former group cares would be my guess. Please review.

And then I will post


	5. We Don't

_**Hi ho, Kermit the frog here. Not really I just felt like typing that. Sorry…Anyway…moving on… Here is the fifth chapter. I actually really like this chapter. My Beta keeps telling me I need to get to the plot but I really like writing character chapters. Oh well you probably get some plot next chapter.  
Thank you ranae-ultor (did I spell it right that time?)  
Spoilers: None  
Disclaimer: (grumble) Not mine (grumble) neither is Kermit.**_

The living room was silent as McGee and Abby walked back in. Ducky and Tony were both looking determinedly out ofthe window, while Ziva was absentmindedly toying with the letter she was still holding. Gibbs and Jenny were sitting diagonally across from each other, and glaring at each other so ferociously that McGee was pretty sure they could have melted steel if the wanted to. Abby stalked over and sat down in the chair between Tony and Gibbs without looking at Ziva or Jenny, who were both sitting on the couch. McGee threw an apologetic glance at Ziva before taking the seat on the other side of Tony.

When everyone had been seated Gibbs switched his glare from Jenny to Ziva. "Talk," he barked at her, and Tony and Ducky turned away from the window**, **unable to hide the curiosity in their expressions. Ziva regained enough self-control to look Gibbs in the eye and keep her face expressionless, but not much more than that.

"I know you are all mad at me for this—" Ziva started but was interrupted.

"Ya think?" Gibbs muttered under his breath.

"Jethro," Jenny began calmly, smiling sweetly at him.

"Yea, Jen," he replied warily**. **That sweet smile always made his heart race, and therefore was definitely not good…

"Shut up," she told him still smiling sweetly, but her eyes were shooting daggers. Ziva had to suppress a grin as Jenny turned to her, "Please continue Ziva."

"Right," Ziva started again. She paused for a fraction of a second to decide what her best tactic was, and then started again. "What did I do wrong?" They all looked surprised, but then three people spoke up at the same time.

"You used us," Gibbs accused her.

"You didn't trust us," Tony added quietly.

"You lied to us," McGee pointed out, because even though he had talked Abby into listening, he was not entirely sure whose side he was on.

"Ok, first of all, I never lied to you. You never asked me if I was protecting Kate," Ziva pointed out earning yet another glare from Gibbs.

"What if we had asked you?" Gibbs inquired.

"I would have lied to you," Ziva answered truthfully. "Second of all, I would never use NCIS. You are my friends. NCIS is my home. I would never betray that trust."

"You did betray us Ziva. You did not trust us enough to tell us about Kate," Tony informed her coldly. He was torn between hating her for not telling them, and wanting to hug her because everyone else hated her. Right now the first half of him was winning the battle.

"There is a difference between not telling and not trusting. If I told you it would put all of us in danger, and I did not think that you needed to know, if that was the price of the knowledge," Ziva answered, her voice still calm, but her heart was beating slightly faster because it was Tony who had accused her. Tony, whom she had love**d** for two years but who never seem to have time for her, was accusing her of not trusting them.

"You say that you did all this to protect us and Kate, but I am not even sure that you care aboutwhat happens to us. I'm not even sure you ever did care. Maybe you are morelike you**r** brother than we thought," Abby told Ziva.

ThatcutZiva deeper than she would ever confess. She had done everything she could to try and protect them and in return they had accused her of being similar to a mole, a betrayer. Ziva stood up, fury boiling up inside her "You know what? I tried everything I could to make you understand and it did not work. If you need me I will be in Omaha." With that, she walked across the room into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

There was a dense silence for five minutes. Finally Jenny broke it. "I guess we all have a choice to make now," she announced to the room at large. She could have said more but it was not necessary. It was fairly clear by this point that Ziva was going **to **Omaha, and Gibbs was none to keen on the idea. Now it all came down to the loyalties of those caught in the middle.

Jenny weighed her choices and turned to the group. "I'm in," she declared. Her loyalties were to her old friend and partner who she trusted with her life. "What about the rest of you?" Gibbs glared at Jenny but was angry enough that he could successfully convince his consciencehe no longer cared about what happened to her.

No one spoke until Abby voiced what the rest of them where all thinking. "How do we know this is real? How do we know Ziva is not lying to us and trying to kill us?"

Jenny looked at Abby, her gaze was cold and calculating, "We have to trust Ziva. I worked with her for years before she came to NCIS."

"She is a Mossad spy and assassin. How can you trust her?" Abby demanded letting irrational anger overtake reason.

"You know what, Abby?" Jenny demanded justas angrily, "I owe her my life. You all do. She had never done anything to make you doubt her. What I really want to know is why you can't trust her."

"But," Abby persisted, "This whole thing could be false. She could be trying to kill us."

"She is **not** trying to kill us," Jenny told Abby, heavily emphasizing the third word.

"But how do you know?" Abby asked again.

Jenny's gaze had reached a level that could freeze lava, but she answered truthfully, "We don't."

_**I totally love the last line. (so modest right? Just like Mossad) Well you had McAbby last chapter and this chapter you got Tiva and Jibbs. Yay. Will they all come around in time to go to Omaha? Review and you will find out. And I like reviews **__****_


	6. What Have I Done?

_**This is a really short chapter but it is totally crucial to the plot. Sorry about the length. Long chapters are comeing (I hope). Ah well. Here you go.  
Beta: Ranae-Ultor  
Disclaimer: It has been a while since I updated but not that long  
Spoilers: Silver war (because it tells us Ziva is an Assassin and Jenny is director)**_

"You are saying that we have to blindly trust a Mossad assassin who may be trying to kill us?" Abby asked Jenny incredulously.

"Yes," Jenny replied firmly.

"Well I am not going." Abby declared, glaring at everyone else as if nobody could defy her.

"Why not?" Jenny was not giving up without a fight.

"How do we know that Ziva is not making the whole thing about Kate up?" Jenny looked at Abby surprised. Abby had doubts, Jenny was sure, but whatever they were, Jenny didn't expect to hear that one.

"You think Ziva would make that up?" It was Jenny's turn to look incredulous. She could not believe that Abby of all people was fighting against Ziva. Abby and Ziva had been best friends before this, and Kate and Abby had been best friends too. Jenny guessed it did not matter anymore.

The sides were formed. Tony, McGee, Gibbs, and Jenny now had to choose between Ziva and Abby. Jenny turned the boys, "You coming?" she asked them, her gaze sweeping over each of their indecisive figures. None of them moved for a moment, and then Gibbs moved to stand behind Abby. Tony and McGee looked even less decisive.

McGee stood next to Tony, divided between the two sides. He would follow Gibbs and Abby to the ends of the Earth but he was also not sure who was right this time. And he didn't know how the leaders of each side would kill him if he didn't join up.

"But what if she is telling the truth?" McGee asked tentatively. No one answered him but Abby glared at him stonily. Finally, McGee let his loyalties to Gibbs and Abby take over and he joined them on their side of the room.

That left Tony standing there, completely alone, and completely undecided. He had to choose between the woman he loved and the people he worked with and respected. He had noticed that it was mostly Jenny fighting for Ziva and the last time he had listened to Jenny it had ended in pain. He was not going to let that happen again. Slowly he tuned and took his place beside Gibbs.

That left Jenny looking across the room at them. Jenny shook her head, saddened. She was very glad Ziva was not in the room to watch her friends turn against her.

"What about you, Jen?" Gibbs asked her. He did not know why he did. It was quite clear whose side she was on. Where she stood on this matter was very, very clear.

Jenny paused for a second before answering. She was the Director of NCIS. She should stay with the agency, but she had been Ziva's partner and friend first. If it came to choosing one forever she would choose the second, but this was only temporary. So screw the department. She was going.

"I'm with Ziva, Gibbs. All the way. Don't doubt that for a second," she replied calmly. Then she turned on her heel and walked to Ziva's bedroom. She hesitated before knocking.

"Come in," Ziva told her dully. Jenny walked in and carefully closed the door behind her. Ziva was sitting on the bed playing with her knife, and Jenny walked across the room and joined her. Jenny could tell that her friend was upset but was trying not to show it. "Was I wrong?" Ziva asked after a few seconds of silence.

Jenny hesitated before answering, "No, I don't think you were." Jenny waited for Ziva to say something, but she didn't. So Jenny decided to fill her in. "Abby is convinced that you are making this entire thing up."

"The others agree with her." It was a statement, not a question, and Jenny did not bother to deny it. Ziva sat in silence. She had turned friends against each other. The team was fighting. "What have I done, Jen?"

Jenny was quiet for a minute but then answered, "I guess we are about to find out."

Ziva almost smiled, "That we are, Jen."

_**I like this chapter but do you? Review and tell me. (Ok I am lonely. Reviews mean people actually know I exist. I love this island but I am invisible. Sorry for the rant.) Oh I am blaming the lateness of this chapter on Bonasera and SarahShalomDavid (because their stories have been distracting me for like three days or I would have posted. **_


	7. Time to Think

_**I am so sorry for the long delay. Both my beta and I have been very busy. I started school last week and was sick the second two days. I am so sorry. I had way much make up work. I am also starting a foreign language (Spanish). I hope this was worth waiting for.  
Beta: Renae-Ultor  
Disclaimer: not mine **_

_**Note: This chapter is dedicated to nic523 for continually poking me in the ribs until I posted.**_

Jennifer Sheppard looked around the first class cabin that she and Ziva were now sitting in. The cabin was almost empty but then again not that many people made sudden, crazy flights from Washington DC to Omaha, Nebraska. Ziva had not spoken much since the previous night at dinner, and Jenny was starting to worry about her friend.

Ziva had always been quiet at the start of missions, and so had Jenny. That flight to wherever-you-were-going-to-be was a time to reflect and look back at the mistakes you made before and that you could possibly make again. You don't know what is coming. You can only imagine it and most of the time you imagine the worst. It is crucial to sleep but you almost never can. Even someone like Ziva finds the plane ride before a mission the hardest part.

This wasn't just a mission. This was more. If they failed, it would break the team but if they succeeded, it might just be able to bring them back together. Jenny tried to distract herself by looking through the magazines on board the flight, but one thought kept drifting to the front of her mind. Why was she going across the country to help a woman she had never even met, let alone cared for?

Someone who had never met her might think that it was something to do with justice prevailing, and it was…sort of. She had long come to except that she couldn't save everyone. This was so much more about trying to make right in the world by putting her friends in front of her job. That was not something she had done for a long time and she was glad that she had made the decision.

At that thought she glanced over at Ziva. Ziva was always strong and impenetrable but now she was not bothering to keep her emotions hidden. The sadness and regret Jenny had known all to well were there now, displayed clearly on her face. Jenny watched her friend sadly knowing exactly what Ziva was thinking about.

Ziva's mind drifted back to the conversation that she had had with Gibbs right before she left. Gibbs had always been more of a father to her than her own. He had almost never ever yelled at her until yesterday.

FLASHBACK—YESTERDAY

Ziva walked into the bullpen and started rummaging though her desk for a few things (mostly knives) that she needed for her trip. She had come in early to an attempt to avoid the others. She had failed as McGee was already sitting at his desk. "Hi Ziva," McGee called to her.

"Hi," she replied and though she would never have admitted it, it made her feel a little better that even if McGee was not coming with her he at least did not hate her for life.

She was gathering up the last of her many knives and putting them in her bag when Gibbs walked in. Her breath hitched.

"David," he barked at her.

"Gibbs," she replied coolly.

"You made it clear that you no longer want to be a part of this team," Gibbs told her, "So get out."

"I never said that I did not want to be a part of the team," she replied calmly, even though internally, she was upset that they thought this had something to do with her not wanting to be on the team.

"You lied to us, and now you are walking out on us," Gibbs retorted.

"I will be back unless I die protecting your agent," Ziva could feel the anger bubbling up inside her and fought to keep her voice even.

"Maybe it would be better for all of us if you did die," Tony added walking in, not registering the full meaning of what he had just said. Ziva looked at him and now the anger over took the pain.

"You know what maybe I will. I hope that will make you both happy," she yelled at them before storming out of the office. She didn't look at Tony or Gibbs but she did catch McGee's eye, for just a second, and that was long enough to make McGee no know whose side he was on anymore.

END FLASHBACK

Ziva was jerked out of her unpleasant chain of thoughts by a strange feeling. She glanced to her left and realized that Jenny hugging her. Ziva was more than a little surprised, but to both persons' surprise, Ziva didn't pull away. Instead Ziva rested her head on Jenny's shoulder.

It was a strange feeling for Ziva. Jenny had always been some sort of weird combination of friend and mother. "Ziva," Jenny asked gently, "when was the last time you had actually slept?" There were several moments of silence, before Jenny smiled, "Yea that's what I thought. Get some sleep."

Ziva still couldn't sleep but she spent the rest of the flight slightly more relaxed knowing that there was still someone who cared about her. Gibbs, her surrogate father, and Tony, whom she loved but would admit to loving, were both angry as hell at her and she couldn't see that changing anytime soon.

Three hours later Ziva and Jenny stepped off the plane and entered Omaha's airport. They walked though to baggage claim and seconds later Ziva found herself being attacked by a whirl of brown and enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. She thought it was Abby for a moment, but it couldn't be.

"Ow!" Ziva muttered more for the benefit of the curious spectators than because it actually hurt.

Jenny laughed, "Someone has been taking lessons from Abby."

Kate looked from Jenny to Ziva, both of whom knew that Kate was wondering where everybody else was.

"Back at the hotel room," Ziva promised her. Kate nodded and led the way out of the airport, into the gleam of sunshine.

_**I am about half way through the next chapter and I will try to have it up next week.**_

_**Please review.**_


	8. The Seacret Service Chick

I don't know if I like this chapter but I hope you do. The chapter after this will be better because I actually know what I want to do with it. Enjoy.

Beta: This is Unbetaed because I go out of town tonight an I had to get this up.

Disclaimer: What do you think?

Spoilers: Yankee White

Kate led them out of the airport and to the lain where the taxi's were parked. Jenny looked at Kate curiously. "Don't you have a car?" Jenny asked.

Kate looked at Jenny at rolled her eyes, but it was Ziva who answered. "She doesn't live here and she has not had a decent job for three years," Ziva answered shortly.

Jenny nodded, and looked at her two companions. Ever since they had gotten off the plane, Ziva had been tense and glancing around constantly. Jenny supposed that made sense, as they were running and operation that, under any other name, was a high stakes under cover mission. Kate also looked nervous but was being at little bit less obtrusive than Ziva.

Jenny studied Kate carefully. She had never actually met Ziva predecessor, but she had seen pictures and heard stories, lots of stories. When Jenny had first come to NCIS the team was still trying to put the man responsible for Kate's death in the ground. 'Wait,' Jenny backtracked mentally. Kate was not dead. Kate had never been dead. Kate stood right in front of her very defiantly alive. This woman matched all the photos of Kate that Jenny had ever seen. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and a medium build. She looked as if she had lost some weight, but she had been evading Hamas for nearly three years.

Jenny had trusted Ziva blindly up until this point but for some reason she wanted to double check herself this time. "What did Tony call you the first time he met you?" she asked Kate quietly. It was a question that a very small group off people knew the answer to. Only Tony, Kate, and Gibbs had been there at the time and as far as Jenny knew, they story had only be repeated to herself and Ziva.

For the first time, a smile crossed Kate's features. "The Secret Service chick," she replied calmly.

FLASHBACK—FIVE YEARS AGO

"Who the hell are you people?" Kate demanded storming back on Air Force One, gun in hand. You're no me assistant, and there isn't a soft shell crab within thousand miles."

"Sorry," Ducky replied quietly.

"NCIS," Gibbs informed her flashing his badge," we flew down her from Washington to take over the investigation."

"Great," Kate replied sarcastically getting more annoyed by the second, "first the FIB tries to muscle in then NCIS."

"Yea well I do believe this is a dead naval officer," Gibbs told her.

"Who died on air force one after having lunch with the president it is my job to protect," Kate retorted angrily.

"Ok we can share jurisdiction," Gibbs compromised before adding, "You can be on my team."

"Your team why should you work the investigation?" Kate demanded.

"You ever worked a crime scene agent Todd?" Gibbs asked her skeptically.

"I am a secret service agent," she told him defiantly.

"I thought not," he said with a small smirk as he turned back to the body.

"Don't dismiss me like that. I earned my jock strap," Kate's voice had risen a little but she didn't care, he had crossed a line.

"Yea and does it ever give you that empty feeling?" he asked her with out looking at her.

"What?" she exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Your jock strap," he explained. If you could call it explaining but anyone who had worked with Gibbs could tell you that for him that was explaining.

"No, like some species of frog I grow what I need," Kate replied with a faint not of pride in her voice.

"The pilot says he won't leave until the Secret Service chick gives the thumbs up," Tony DiNozzo called to Gibbs as he walked down the stairs, stopping dead when he found Kate smirking at him.

Kate then turned to Gibbs, "I think that just made it my deal." She had to stop her self from grinning Tony's pet name.

"No it mean I just have to hijack Air Force One." Kate was too surprised to point out that as the President had departed on his back up jet that was now Air Force One.

"Tony, escort Agent Todd off this air craft and close the hatch," Gibbs told the younger agent. Kate looked on amazed as she realized that this man was serious.

"Your not serious wait wait ok ok your team but only because I don't want to delay us further by having to shoot you," Kate replied. She was had know she was going to lose this argument from the beginning but as always she preferred to lose on her own terms.

END FLASHBACK

The cab ride to the hotel was a fairly silent affair. Ziva stared out on window and Kate stared out the other. Jenny sat in the middle trying to figure out what her companions were thinking about and eventually decided that she should be worrying about what her enemy's were thinking about. She gave that up quickly too, because she didn't have a clue what they had in mind. There was only indisputable fact: the storm was coming, and they were heading straight for it.

_**So what did you think? I don't know when the next chapter will be up but I will try for soon. Side note: I am tring out for my schools Triva (not what it is called but essentially the point) team today. Wish me luck and review.**_


	9. Midnight Horrors

Hello people. Sorry this took so long. I had to put this story on hold for a Bones fic I was writing that needed to be done before the season opener. I am back now.

_**Disclaimer: Not mine**_

_**Spoilers: none**_

_**Beta: This chapter is also unbetaed due to some…technical difficulties **_

NOTE: if you do not like this chapter I implore you to keep reading for reasons that will make sense to you at the bottom of this page.

Lights flashed around them as the three women walked up the narrow street. It was a busy day and many people were walking around in the blazing sunlight. They there women stopped to look in a window. There reflected in its glass, Kate saw five familiar faces.

McGee, Tony, Gibbs, Abby, and Ducky were right behind them, standing in the street looking for something or someone. The three women looked around at the others and waved them over.

It was a simple exchange. The new five stood facing the old five. Gibbs eyes met Jenny's and they seemed to be having a silent staring contest. Tony was giving Ziva his 'please don't hate me face.' Abby and McGee were both staring at Kate.

For several minutes no one moved of made a sound then McGee walked forward and wrapped his arms around Kate. He buried his face in her hair and just stood there holding her. The others moved too as if McGee had made it expectable. Gibbs pushed Jenny up against a wall and they started to kiss passionately. Tony and Ziva were also kissing passionately. Abby and Ducky stood watching. Abby was nearly glowing as the couples she had hand picked finally did what she wanted them to do.

Suddenly the sky started to darken. All the people who had previously been there disappeared. The eight were left standing alone. Jenny and Gibbs stopped kissing, as did Ziva and Tony. They all stood looking up the street waiting for something.

Then suddenly men started appearing out of the shadows. The men were dressed in black and carried automatic weapons. The team scattered running through the darkness away from the men. Kate and McGee tore up on ally and hid in a pile of boxes. Both of them were shaking, but McGee put his arm around Kate in an attempt to steady both of them.

They sat there for a while, with their bodies pressed together as if the other was the only real thing left in the world. After a while the bullet fire stopped and they pulled themselves out of the pile of boxes that had been their sanctuary. Then together they made their way out of the ally and back into the main street. It was a sad sight.

Barely three feet away from the always where the pair had taken cover, lay a figure with red hair. The pair walked closer, although they already knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the redhead was Jenny and the silver haired man beside her was Gibbs. A closer looked confirmed that. There pair had fallen together. They were fighting for each other.

Kate and McGee walked down the street, looking for anything that might signify that their friends where still alive. There was no such luck, all they found where two more bodies. Tony and been shot first and it looked as if Ziva had been tending to him when she was shot. Her lifeless body was slumped on top of his.

McGee and Kate turned around and were met by the sight of their medical examiner. He had his hands folded to his chest as if in prayer, but they both knew that he had been trying to stop the flow of blood. That left just one person, or more likely body, unaccounted for.

It did not take them long to find the young woman with long black hair. Abby had been cowering behind some barrels when she was shot. Blood flowed out of the wound in her chest to form a pool of blood around her. The lack of blood made her face pale and she looked like an angel that had been killed.

Kate and McGee stood there looking at their best friend, and the tears Kate had been restraining started to pour down her cheeks. McGee wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his shoulder. They stood like that for several minutes, with both of them taking comfort from the others presence.

Suddenly, Kate felt McGee tense under her grip. She lifted her head and realized that they were no longer alone. The corpses of their dead friends were walking towards them. Their hands outstretched and blood dripping from their bullet wounds. They had all been supposed to die yet Kate and McGee had not. So instead of death by bullet, they were going to be ripped apart by the corpses of their friends.

The Jenny and Gibbs walked over and grabbed McGee before Kate could stop them. She tried to go after them, but a pair of slimy hands grabbed her from behind. Kate turned her head to see Abby holding her hands behind her back. Then she watched in horror as Jenny and Gibbs led McGee towards Ziva. They weren't going to kill her. They were going to kill McGee in front of her eyes and leave her alive and breathing.

She watched as Ziva sank a knife into McGee's heart. He sank to the ground and as he did so the corpses disappeared. Kate was left with just McGee bleeding in her arms. With in minute his form had gone limp and she was completely alone. Tears started to stream down her face. "No," Kate yelled into the darkness.

--- --- ---

"Kate," a familiar voice told her, "wake up."

It was all a dream people. A fictional dream so don't you dare tell me they weren't being rational because I know a friend who has lots of pointy objects.

_**NCIS starts Tuesday…if you are in the states.**_


	10. Dawning Friendships

Yea, this is chapter ten. I don't know if I like it, but I think it does what I wanted it to do. Enjoy.

_**Spoilers: None**_

_**Disclaimer: If I owned it would I really be sitting here writing fanfiction.**_

Kate struggled for a moment before she realized that Zombies were not holding her. Jenny's hand was resting gently on her shoulder. Quickly Kate sat up, and folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry about that," she said quietly looking down at her hands.

"It's fine," Jenny assured her, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Kate looked up at Jenny a little surprised. She had been alone for nearly three years. Literally alone, she had never had any friends for fear that they would find out things about her. She had been alone and scared for three years and was still trying to trust again. "Sorry," she told Jenny shaking herself of her daze, "I am just so used to no one caring."

Jenny looked at Kate curiously, "I hear you."

"You do?" Kate said a little surprised.

"Yes," Jenny told her with a small grimace, "Want me to tell you?"

"Sure if you want to," Kate told her hoping that she didn't sound too hopeful.

"You sound hopeful," Jenny teased her.

"Sorry," Kate told her.

"Caitlin if you say sorry one more time," Jenny looked around the room for a threat good enough and her eyes landed on Ziva's sleeping figure, "I will wake Ziva up and frame you for it."

"I have never witnessed that, but I sincerely doubt that it would be good news," Kate told her with a small smile.

"Pain…Serious injury…Death…" Jenny suggested.

"That sounds very likely," Kate conceded.

For a while there was silence and both women sat looking at the demons that the darkness held. Then Jenny started to speak, "I had been an agent for about five years when I was stationed on a team the would missions abroad. We worked several missions allover Europe, then we came to Paris." Jenny paused squeezing her eye shut for a moment. "I had done the one thing that you are supposed to avoid at all costs."

"You fell for you partner," Kate said.

"Yes," Jenny confirmed even thought it hadn't been a question. "The worst bit was that when out mission was over in Paris I left him. I said I had to advance my career, but that was only a part of it."

"Why?" Kate asked her.

"I was scared," Jenny told her, "scared of being hurt. I thought that if I left him then I couldn't get hurt. I couldn't have been more wrong. In that action I opened the door to everything that I had ever wanted, but I closed the door on everything I ever needed."

"Night spent in the dark, wondering where it all went wrong. Not sure who you are, no one to belong to. Try to live a lie, but you're so unallied. If you could only make it through, another day," Kate told her with a small smile.

"Now, that sounds like it should be a song," Jenny told her.

"It is," Kate told her shrugging, "I have spent my last three years with no friends in a country where I speak very little of the language. I spend a lot of time on the computer."

"Ah, good song," Jenny commented.

"I liked it," Kate told her shrugging, "What was the name of this man?"

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs," Jenny replied causing Kate's jaw to drop.

"Our Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" she spluttered, "he actually dated someone?"

"Yea," Jenny said smiling a little dreamily.

"In the dream I had he was kissing you senseless," Kate told Jenny smirking.

"Is there any chance this dream can come true?" Jenny asked.

"I hope not," Kate said shuttering, "Everyone was shot except for McGee and myself. Then your corpses all came to life and killed McGee and left me all alone." There was silence as the unspoken word hung in the air, 'again.'

"Okay just the part about me kissing Gibbs," Jenny corrected, "Was anybody else kissing?"

"Tony and Ziva," Kate said and both she and Jenny glanced towards Ziva's sleeping form.

"That sounds plausible enough," Jenny concluded.

"And McGee was hugging me," Kate admitted.

Jenny looked at her curiously for a moment, and then spoke, "I am not sure I can see that one."

"It's never going to happen," Kate told her shrugging.

"Doesn't mean you wouldn't like it to," Jenny added.

"McGee and Abby are perfect for each other," Kate told her without a hint of jealousy.

"You're a good person," Jenny told her, "I want to take every woman I see

Jethro dating and rip her into little tiny pieces."

"I've had three years," Kate reminded her.

Jenny laughed derisively, "I've had nine."

There was silence for a while then Kate spoke again, "When we get out of this mess, you need to tell Gibbs how you feel."

"What if he doesn't still love me?" Jenny asked Kate.

"Seriously Jen," a voice from across the room said, "What kind of question is that?"

"A legitimate one Ziva," Jenny said sadly, "I betrayed his trust more times than I can count and then I left him. Would you take me back after that?"

"No," Kate answered, "but we are not him. I'm sure that if Tony did that and he wanted to come back, Ziva would let him do it in a second."

Ziva looked at Kate for a long moment trying to assess was lying would gain her. The only reason not to tell her was that Ziva tried to deny it, and telling someone made it real. "Yes I would," Ziva said, "but it would be him who would say no."

Jenny looked at Ziva; "he has been head over heels in love with you for three years."

Ziva shook her head, "Just before we left he told me that everyone would be better off if I died."

"He will pay for that," Kate muttered under her breath.

"I am not going to do anything if that is what you are suggesting," Ziva told Kate.

"It wasn't."

I know it was a little weird but the story will get going a little faster soon. Please Review.

Note: I was original going to work McAbby as a couple and pair Kate up with someone who came up later in the story. What would you think of me switching it so that Kate and McGee end up together and Abby ends up with someone else? Tell me.


	11. Divided Loyalties

_**I am so sorry. I haven't updated in nearly a month, but the main word in the sentence was nearly. It is one day short of an actual month. Either way…. I was a bad girl.  
Disclaimer: As I said at the beginning of the this I owned NCIS 'Divided Loyalties' would be the opening episodes of the season. After watching the opening episodes I am going to have to say: It was so much like 'Divided Loyalties'  
Spoilers: Nope none  
Beta: Her amazingness: Tide of Grey**_

Kate, Jenny, and Ziva sat in the hotel room and watched as the sun rose over the city of Omaha, Nebraska. There had been silence in the room for at least fifteen minutes, but the alarm clock that Ziva had set the night before rang through the room. Kate grabbed a pillow off the couch and launched it across the room at the alarm clock. The alarm clock was knocked off the table and, almost petulantly, it stopped ringing.

"That was subtle," Jenny remarked, gazing at the alarm clock on the floor.

"I am sick and tired of subtle," Kate replied, shrugging. As much as she wanted to deny it, the previous three years had been hard on her and they had changed her. It would take time to get that part of herself back and she would never truly be the same again.

"Why don't we go out for breakfast?" Jenny looked from Kate to Ziva.

"Why?" Ziva asked.

"Look, I know you two are worried," Jenny told them, "But you still need to eat and there isn't any food in the room so let's go get some."

"I believe it is too big a risk to go out into the city," Ziva argued.

"Ziva, it's Omaha, Nebraska," Kate reminded her, "Terrorists don't even know it exists."

"Something is off," Ziva insisted.

"It'll be fine," Jenny assured her.

"I hope you're right," Ziva conceded, worry still clouding her judgment**.**

----

The three women walked into a small restaurant in the middle of Omaha. It was almost empty but then again the sun had barely risen so that was to be expected. They took the table nearest to the door, with Kate facing away from the door and Ziva and Jenny opposite her. Each woman looked at the menu they were given in slight distaste.

"I'll have the scrambled eggs and a black coffee," Jenny informed the waitress.

"Toast and coffee," Ziva ordered, "Two shots of cream and two spoons of sugar."

"Waffles and tea, please," Kate decided.

"What kind of tea?" the waitress asked.

"Mango," Kate said and the waitress nodded.

"Mango?" Ziva asked, looking inquisitively at Kate.

"It's good," Kate said shrugging, "You two picked the coffee that Tony and Gibbs drink."

Jenny and Ziva glanced at each other. "How did you know that?" Ziva asked suspiciously.

"I worked with them for nearly two years," Kate reminded them. "I know you don't think of it like this, but Tony, Gibbs, Abby, McGee, Ducky, and I were a team. You two came in after me but I was still there for a while."

"You were still there in their minds when I came," Ziva told Kate. "I swear to you that they compared everything I did to how you would have done it. You were their girl and they never forgot that fact."

"Thanks," Kate replied with a small smile, "Do you think that is still true?"

Jenny opened her mouth to answer but at that moment their food arrived.

Kate thanked the waitress, and for a while the three women ate and drank in silence. After ten minutes Jenny put her hand to her head. "Am I the only one who's dizzy?" she asked.

"No," Kate and Ziva whispered at the same time looking at each other in panic.

"We've been drugged," Jenny commented angrily.

"Damn," Ziva swore softly as three men in black masks walked through the door and towards their table.

WASHINGTON DC—NCIS HEAD QUARTERS

"It is just another normal day," Tony muttered himself, but he knew that it wasn't. Something was different about today. Something was wrong. It had been a week since Ziva and the director had left for Omaha. Suddenly McGee came running into the bullpen with Abby right behind him.

"Boss," McGee yelped as he skidded to a stop in front of Gibbs desk.

"Gibbs," Abby squealed coming up behind McGee.

"What?" Gibbs asked sharply, looking up from his paperwork.

"We've been tracking Ziva's movements by using her cell phone's GPS," Abby told Gibbs at a rapid pace**.**

"I though you were leaving them alone," Gibbs gazed sternly at them through the rim of his glasses. He was having second thoughts about letting the girls…his girls…go alone but he was not one to show doubt openly.

"They're still our people," Abby told him forcefully, her pigtails bouncing up and down, "Anyway, the point is that this morning Ziva's cell phone went dead."

"So it ran out of batteries," Gibbs shrugged, ready to continue with his paperwork**.**

"No Boss, not ran out of batteries dead," McGee explained, "It was like someone took it and destroyed it."

"We double checked the Director's too," Abby added and Gibbs froze, "It was in the same condition as Ziva's."

"Does that mean that they're in trouble?" Tony asked.

"Yes," a new voice added. The team turned to face the man, who bore a distinct Israeli air. He continually brushed his long, lazy brown hair from his eyes, which where a chocolaty brown. His features reminded the team of Ziva.

"Who are you?" Tony asked, defensive.

"My name is Ethan," the man announced calmly.

"You said Ziva was in trouble," Tony reminded him.

"She is," Ethan confirmed, "as is Jennifer Shepard." At Jenny's name, Gibbs stood up and walked to stand beside Tony. "As is Caitlin Todd." McGee and Abby exchanged a glance and moved up so they were closer to Tony and Gibbs.

"How do you know about Kate?" Abby asked suspiciously.

"I have been on Kate's protection detailfor nearly three years," Ethan replied coolly.

"So Ziva was telling the truth," Ducky whispered, joining the group.

"Yes," Ethan replied, a little annoyed.

"Oh dear," Ducky cast his gaze to the carpet**. **

"How do you know them?" Tony asked.

"I told you how I knew Caitlin and as for Ziva…I am her brother," Ethan replied.

"Ari was her brother," Abby reminded the group.

"I am not Ari," Ethan said calmly, "I am very much on Ziva's side and anybody who is with her is my friend. Those who are against her are my enemies. The same goes for Caitlin, so if they were in a fight I would find it hard to choose a side." Tony smiled slightly at that, having worked with both women, and knowing the feeling of protectiveness.

"But it is not my loyalties that I have come here to establish. It's yours."

_**I loved this chapter. I also couldn't help the chapter title. Please review.**_


	12. An Unexpected Visitor

_**Here is chapter 12. If my calculations are correct…there will be eight more chapters then it will be over. So enjoy it while it lasts.  
Spoilers: None  
Disclaimer: It is not mine…Well Ethan is…so most of it isn't mine.  
Beta/Dedication: Tides of Grey…this is the last chapter she is going to edit for me because of time restraints on my end, but she has been amazing.**_

They all stared at Ethan for several seconds before Tony spoke, "How can you question our side?" He was looking at Ethan with a mixture of fury and distaste. "They are our friends, our team," Tony stated angrily.

"And yet we didn't trust them," Abby sighed, regret coloring her tone.

"We have no proof," Tony wrung his hands in worry as he was he did not want to acknowledge the possibility that he made a wrong decision, because he had burned many bridges in his anger. If Ziva was telling the truth…she would never forgive him.

McGee had been looking from Abby to Gibbs to Tony to Ethan and back again. Then he finally spoke, "You know what? I listened to you when you said not to go but I am not staying behind again. Paula Cassidy," Tony winced slightly at the mention of Paula but McGee continued, "said that she was afraid that she would become used to doing whatever Gibbs said and she was right. I am not listening this time."

Everybody stared at McGee as he finished his speech. He looked slightly scared of what he had said, but he also looked determined. Abby stared at him. He had always been so quiet but she realized that he was right.

"Don't look at him that way," Abby informed Gibbs and Tony, "He's right."

Ethan looked around at the group before he spoke, "I know you have no reason to trust me, but for the sake of my sister and her friends I hope that you will."

Gibbs looked at Ducky for a fraction of a second before turning back to Ethan. "How much trouble are they in?"

"Too much," Ethan replied.

Abby looked around at her group and her team. They were missing vital parts of the jigsaw…three to be exact. Maybe it was time to swallow their pride and help their missing friends. Ducky sized Ethan up before turning to the others.

"I think he's telling us the truth," he conceded.

McGee looked at Abby, slightly apologetic before going to stand next to Ethan. Abby watched McGee take sides and looked to Tony, who was still shocked about McGee taking a definitive side. Then she too came to stand next to Ethan. Tony and Gibbs looked at each other and exchanged short nods.

"Alright," Ducky said quietly, "what happens now?"

"That is up to you," Ethan replied. "My sister and her friends are in trouble in Omaha, Nebraska. You choose what you do now, as for me…I am going to help them."

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION—OMAHA, NEBRASKA

Jenny woke up and opened her eyes to see the walls of a prison. She sat up slowly and looked around the room, her breath hitched. She was met with the pleasant sight of three walls of dusty cinderblocks and one wall that was made completely of bars and was the door to their depressing room. Jenny quickly noted that there were no obvious signs of weapon or cameras before she crawled over to Ziva, who was still unconscious.

Gently patting the side of Ziva's face, Jenny felt someone come up next her. "They must have drugged her heavier than us because they knew she was Mossad," Kate commented.

Jenny turned to her. "You're awake," she stated obviously, "and you are right." Kate just nodded, face tiredly impassive.

"Are you alright?" Kate asked Jenny.

"Yes," Jenny said, "at least there is nothing seemingly wrong. What about you?"

Kate shrugged vaguely, "Fine, except for the fact that we are trapped in a cell with little chance of rescue…or survival."

"No," Jenny announced sharply, the noise echoing hauntingly, "We will make it out of here one way or another."

"I hope you're right," Kate said with a small smile.

"Yeah…Yeah, I do too," Jenny agreed.

"Look if there comes a chance for you and Ziva to get out and it involves leaving me here – " Kate started, but Jenny interrupted her.

"We are not leaving anyone behind," Jenny stated firmly.

"This is _my_ problem," Kate reminded her.

"Kate, we made it our problem too," Jenny reminded Kate, gently squeezing her hand, then adding, "You're our friend."

Kate smiled, "We _will_ make it."

"You trying to convince me or yourself?" Jenny asked, smiling wryly in an almost motherly fashion, which made Kate want to hug her (I don't know, you can add that in if you want).

"Not sure," Kate grinned strangely, before the grin was wiped off her face and replaced with a grim look, "How's Ziva?"

"She has a pulse," Jenny offered looking down at their unconscious friend.

"That's good," Kate replied vaguely. Both of them had a feeling that they should be looking for some way out, but they also knew that they would not have much luck without Ziva's help. They also knew that finding a route out would do nothing because they would not leave their friend.

Suddenly they heard footsteps approaching. Kate looked quickly from Jenny to Ziva then motioned silently for the former to move back towards the latter. Kate leaned against the wall trying to look innocent or…something… she wasn't quite sure.

Seconds later a man walked up to the cell and unlocked the door. "Which one of you is Special Agent Caitlin Todd?" the man asked in a gravelly voice. He looked Middle Eastern and had dirty hair that fell past his shoulders. His eyes were cold and hard as ice.

Kate looked at the man. It had been three years since someone had called her a Special Agent. That reminder of the person that she had been, the one who didn't always hide and the one who protected her friends, gave her all the encouragement she needed. "That would be me."

"Good," the man said roughly, grabbing Kate and pulling her out of the cell. As the door slammed on the other two Kate met Jenny's eyes, and they both prayed to God that Jenny was right and thatthey were all going to be okay.

_**How was it? I actually kind of like this chapter. Did you? Please review. It makes me post faster.**_


	13. One Chance

Chapter 13. Okay so here it is. Don't know if it is any good but you will tell me that won't you? :-) Ah well enjoy. I will have the next chapter next week some time.  
Spoilers: None  
Disclaimer: Not mine except for Ethan…and the bad guys but I don't really care if I own the bad guys.  
As mentioned before Tides of Grey and myself decided that I should write the rest of it un betaed so any mistakes are Maroon-Bassoon-755's. (not really but I am blaming her.)

The door clanged shut behind Kate and the man dragging her away. Jenny stared after them for several second before she heard another voice. The clang had finally awoken Ziva.

"What is going on?" Ziva asked groggily, "Where is Kate?"

Jenny threw one more look at the door before turning to face Ziva. "Some man came in asked which one of us was Special Agent Caitlin Todd, and Kate told him that was her."

"She should have known that he would take her," Ziva said angrily.

"She did," Jenny replied quietly.

Ziva looked at Jenny. Three years ago she would not have been able to comprehend that kind of loyalty. Now she looked on it as exactly what she would have done if she were placed in that position. "She knew that if no one answered they would take us all," Ziva remarked more to herself then Jenny.

"She was protecting us but giving them exactly what they wanted," Jenny said torn between gratitude and confusion.

"I think she did the right thing," Ziva said, "if you think about it she had been running for over three years. You and I have both been there and I am sure that you remember that point when everything comes flooding back and you cannot run any more."

"Unfortunately the difference is that when you and Kate reached that point you fought back," Jenny said sadly, "I just took off running faster in the opposite direction." Jenny closed her for a few seconds and all the memories of Paris came flooding back to her. Not the good memories where she and Jethro were laughing. The painful ones where she watched the police arresting him and she did nothing. The day where she had woken up early and left a note on the table then disappeared before he could wake and give her a reason to stay.

"Jenny when we get out of here, you are going to stop running from him," Ziva told Jenny firmly.

"We need to get out of here first," Jenny reminded Ziva.

"We will," Ziva said firmly. The word that hung unspoken in the air was 'somehow.'

ANOTHER ROOM OF THE UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

The man dragged Kate down the hall. She tried to remember all the turns that they took but was pretty sure that she had forgotten some of them by the time they got to the room they were heading for. Once inside the room the man let Kate to the chair in the middle of the room. As he tied her hands and ankles together, she noticed that several more men waited inside this room.

Once she was completely secured the first man stepped back against the wall, and the man Kate assumed to be the leader stepped forward.

"What do you want with me?" Kate asked.

"Revenge," the man replied with a smirk, "nothing more."

SOMEWHERE OVER THE U.S.A.

Abby and McGee sat in the front row of seats. Gibbs and Tony in the next row over. Ethan and Ducky were the row behind them. Each member of the team had completely different thoughts on their mind.

Abby looked out the window and stared down on the land below her, not really seeing any of it. They were a team and effectively she had been the one to rip them in half. Why had she argued with Ziva? Was it because she hadn't wanted to believe that Ziva was right? Probably. Kate being alive, but alone for three years hurt.

McGee looked at Abby. She was the only girl who wasn't currently sitting in a cell somewhere. Part of him was grateful for that and the other part felt extremely guilty about feeling that way. Jenny he was not as strongly connected to, but he had a feeling that if Jenny died, they would lose Gibbs, too. Kate and Ziva he had worked with for years and he cared about very much. He also was quite sure that Tony would be lost without Ziva.

Ducky was worried mainly about the girls but also about what was going to happen when the plane landed. They were a team and all needed each other. Lose one and they would break just as the had when Kate had 'died.'

Ethan looked around at the people his sister caller her team. They looked normal but they also looked determined. It was also quiet clear that they were not flying across the country to that the girls. They were going to save THEIR girls.

Tony looked out the window. 'Why had he listened to Abby?' he asked himself. He loved her like a sister but he loved Ziva as…something more. He didn't know when exactly the change had occurred. He just knew that it had, and he knew that he needed her back. She could not died without him telling her that he loved her…she could not die.

Gibbs let his mind drift back to Paris. Walks along the Seine…Laughing in the rain…Their last summer and the memories that remain. He still didn't know what he had done to make her run off. Maybe he never would but he wanted with all his heart to get a chance to make it right. He could count on two fingers then number of women who he had really loved. The first was Shannon, who had died but he still loved. The second was Jenny, who he was not about to let follow Shannon. He hadn't been able to save his family when it was Shannon and Kelly, but he was sure going to do his best to save this family, because that is what they had really become: a family.

He and Jenny were the parents. Kate, Tony, Abby, and Tim were the original children and Ziva was another child who he loved just as much. He had lost Kate and Jenny once…he was not going to lose them again, and he was not going to lose Ziva for a first time.

The flight attendant's voice broke the silence, "please return all seatbacks and tray tables to their full and upright positions and prepare for landing." The team did as they were told, and after a few minutes the felt the telltale bump of the wheels hitting the runway. Now it was time for their fight to begin…everything was on the line.

_**How was it? I liked the last line but I don't know about the rest of it. So speak to me. By the way: Did anybody catch the line that I took from an ABBA song? Review please.**_


	14. What Are Friends For?

**_Here is chapter 14. I like this chapter and hope you do too. It is a little short but it is completely necessary. There is also pretty nice Jibbs scene at the end. :-)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not mine  
Spoilers: Not mine either…kidding...sort of…does that even make any sense?… no…I don't think there are any._**

Ziva paced up and down the cell for about fifteen minutes before Jenny lost her patience and told her bitterly, "Sit down."

Ziva glared at her but did as she asked. It had been give or take three hours since Kate had been taken and they were no closer to finding a way out than they had been three hours ago. "There has to be a way out," Ziva said for what was probably close to the millionth time, starting to pace again.

"So you've mentioned," Jenny said, "It is called a door." Ziva spun around to look at Jenny.

"You have it," Ziva said, "We use the door."

"Ziva," Jenny asked sitting up straighter, "you do realize the door is locked?" Ziva glared at Jenny, "Okay you knew that sorry."

"Yea I knew that," Ziva told Jenny, "They are going to feed us at some point and we over take the guard and take his weapons."

"How do you know they are going to feed us?" Jenny asked the answered her own question, "We are such important prisoners that you figure they have to feed us at least once."

"Yes," Ziva replied nodding, "you don't kidnap the Director of NCIS and the Daughter of the Head of Mossad without trying to bargain with them."

"We only need them to open the door once," Jenny pointed out, "but we should do it the first chance we get."

"Great," Ziva said, "get ready." Jenny looked at her but suddenly she too heard the footsteps coming down the hall.

"Look pathetic," Jenny told Ziva.

"I do not," Ziva retorted.

"You should," Jenny clarified. Ziva nodded and complied.

The two women listened closely to the footsteps as the approached. Within thirty seconds of the footsteps starting, the creator came in to view. He had a key in hand and moved to open the door, as he did Jenny and Ziva both stiffened.

As soon as he pulled the door open Jenny and Ziva ran at him and Ziva tackled him. Jenny was about join the fray when the man's hand lashed out and hit her in the face. She didn't scream but she slid to the ground. Then the guard took Ziva and slammed her up against the wall. Ziva winced imperceptibly as her wrist cracked, but made no noise. She kicked the man in the groin, and he dropped her. She knocked him out with a sharp blow to his head. She walked towards Jenny, but before she got there she heard more footsteps running down the hall from behind her. She spun around and turned to face her attackers. There were four of them and they came and surrounded her.

Ziva looked around at them. This was the downside about not having much time to plan. She sized the men up. She could probably take them or at least to significant damage had her wrist not been broken. Unfortunately for her, it was.

Suddenly she heard more footsteps running through the hallway toward them. Ziva looked at Jenny, who was just barely conscious. Suddenly four people sprinted in to the hallway. Four triggers were pulled. Four bullets flew threw the air. Four bodies fell to the ground.

Ziva spun around to look at the shooters who had just saved her. She stared into the eye of her team and her brother. No one moved for a second then Ethan asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am great as soon as we get out of here," Ziva replied.

"I can't let you do that," a sneering voice said.

All five people spun around to see the other guard standing supporting Jenny's now mostly conscious form. He was pointing a gun at her head. Gibbs' eyes widened as he looked at Jenny. Their eye met and she gave him the smallest of smiles. Gibbs looked at her and then at her captor. One thing was certain: that man was going to die.

Gibbs took a step forward but the man yelled, "move and she dies." They all saw him pull a gun and point it at Jenny's head. McGee watched in horror. Tony and Ethan had move closer to Ziva. Gibbs watched the man with pure hatred. No one was every going to hurt Jenny. Not if he had any say in it.

"Let her go," Gibbs said calmly.

"Why should I do that?" the man asked.

"If you don't," Gibbs started.

"You know I don't think that you are really in a position to argue," the man sneered. Suddenly a gunshot exploded in the nearly silent hallway. Both Jenny and the man holding her fell to the ground, revealing Abby standing there with a gun.

"Actually I think we are in a pretty good position," she said sweetly.

Gibbs was crouched on the ground pulling Jenny to her feet. "Thanks Abby," Jenny told the forensic scientist.

"No problem," Abby said before turning to Ziva, "I'm sorry for not trusting you."

Ziva just nodded before Abby pulled her into a rib-cracking hug.

Meanwhile Gibbs was holding Jenny close to him. "Did he hurt you?" Gibbs asked her worriedly pulling back a little so he could look into her eyes.

"Jethro," Jenny said smiling slightly, "I am just fine, and Ziva is too, but," and her smile disappeared, "we need to save Kate."

"Which way?" Jethro asked Jenny worriedly.

Jenny pointed and Jethro nodded. Ethan had picked up on their conversation and said to the group at large, "Come on guys. We have to get our girl back."

_**How was it? Please review. I will have another chapter up soon. **_


	15. Everything Changes

Chapter 15. Yay! This is now officially my longest story, and it has over 100 reviews. You guys rock. Please note that I change the rating to T for this chapter because I wrote it right after I watched "Mind Games" and I was in a creepy mood.

_**Spoiler: None**_

_**Disclaimer: Ethan is no one else is.**_

The group started to move down the hall, but Ethan stopped them after only a few steps. He pulled a back-up gun from the small of his back and handed it to Ziva. Then he took the one at his ankle and gave it to Jenny. "I trust you know how to use those," Ethan told them smirking.

"I think we can figure it out," Jenny assured him.

"Abby you so go back to Ducky," Gibbs told her.

"But Gibbs," Abby whined.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Gibbs told her.

"Kate is my best friend and it is my fault that she is here in the first place," Abby said.

"This is not your fault, Abbs," Gibbs told her firmly.

"Yea actually it is," Abby argued, "If I hadn't fought Ziva on coming would any of the rest of you have stayed behind?" Abby looked at the faces of those around her. "See even you know you would have," Abby pause for breaths, "Look we lost Kate once and I am sure as hell not going to let it happen again."

"Abby's right," Tony said finally, "on both counts, but what we've done doesn't matter if we can save Kate this time around."

"She's counting on us," Ethan pointed out, "we need to find her."

UNDISCLOSED ROOM IN THE UNDISCLOSED ROOM IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA

Kate had been alone in the room for over three hours when the man who seemed to be the leaded of the men came back in. "Well it seems that your little friends have killed most of my little friends," the man smirked at her, "so you are going to have to pay the price for that."

Kate didn't say anything in response. "Come on sweetheart," the man said stroking her cheek with his hand, "this is going to be fun."

Still Kate didn't say a word. She was not going to give him what he wanted. "So what do you know about your little friends," the man asked changing tactic, "I want to get to know them better."

Kate stared at the wall in complete silence. She was determined not to show fear. "Where shall we start?" the man asked, "Tony DiNozzo seems to be pretty close to you. He was you partner for two years. Surely you would hate to see him hurt."

Kate said nothing as the man caressed her shoulder. "Or how about your boss? Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You care for him quiet a bit don't you? He would put up a fight before I killed him I am sure.

Kate said nothing as he walked in circles around her. "Or Abigail Sciuto? I am sure that you two are quite close friends. What would it feel like to watch her have a knife plunged into her heart and watch as it stopped beating knowing there was nothing you can do?"

Kate said nothing as he pulled out a knife. "Or Timothy McGee? You seem quiet fond of him and him of you. What would you do if I were to bring him in here and take his life instead of yours?"

Kate said nothing as the man pulled the elastic band out of her ponytail yanking her hair back in the process. "How about you cell mates? How did you get such high-ranking friends? The director of NCIS and the daughter of the director of Mossad. That is impressive for some one who is nothing more than an agent who should have died three years ago. How would you like to see them die?"

Finally Kate spoke and a calm flat voice, "Unfortunately you only have me not them." Her voice was calm and even, but she was terrified of what he was going to do to her. She had no change of escape and no way to know how far away help was or even if it was coming.

"So true," the man remarked, "so true." He walked behind her and slit through the rope tying her wrists to the chair however he also caught the knife on her wrist just enough to hurt. "Stand up."

She didn't move. "I said get up," the man said digging the knife in to her shoulder. Kate did as instructed trying her hardest avoid trembling. Using the hand that was not holding the knife he ripped the front of her shirt open. Walking around behind her he pulled it off completely.

"This is not so bad is it?" the man asked coyly. Almost gently he place the tip of the knife between her shoulder blades. After a moment for Kate to soak in what he had just done he and what he was about to do, he applied pressure and the knife blade penetrated a few centimeters into her back.

Kate couldn't stop herself from wincing this time. She knew now that he was going to do this until she bleed out on the floor. He was not going to make it short and painless. He was going to make it as long a torture session as possible.

He moved the knife down without pulling it back thus making an even longer wound. Kate had already winced but she was not going to scream. That would give him the satisfaction.

Suddenly the door burst open. Her team stood there looking in on the scene in the room. The man with the knife looked back at her team. Kate stood in the middle praying that no one she cared about got hurt.

"How kind of you little friends to join us," the man told Kate wrapping his arms around Kate's shoulders. Ethan's hand tightened around his gun. He had known Kate for three years because he been the one who spent time in Rome when he had free time. He didn't know why he had started he, but he had kept doing it because he had come to care for her and hated the thought of her being alone. Either way he had learned how to read her and no matter how brave she looked right now he knew she was scared to death.

"Now you can watch her die," the man told them pushing Kate away and pulling out a gun. Without thinking Ethan leapt forward and pushed Kate down pulling the trigger on his own gun once as he did so. Two bullets ripped through the air.

_**Suspense…Now my dad challenged me to write this story but he is not actually reading it so if you want to know what happens review and tell him to read it…I am evil. Or at least I try. Please review.**_


	16. All We Are

_**Here is chapter 16. Thank you all for telling my dad to read the story. I think you got him convinced. I really like the beginning and ending of this chapter…The middle is a little weird. **_

_**Disclaimer: Yea I bought it on ebay…  
Spoilers: I said I wasn't going to this any more and yet here I am…no…there aren't**_

_**Dedication: Isabel…There is like zero chance of you reading this but yesterday was your birthday so this one goes to you…ironic given the ending but…**_

As the shot rang out thought the air the team was entirely sure which side had fired and all reacted as if it was it the enemy. Abby hid her face in McGee's chest and he pulled her close. Jethro and Jenny both turned to face the wall and Jethro shielded Jenny's body with his own. Both Tony and Ziva tried to pull each other to the ground.

They all heard a body fall to the ground and looked up both scared of what they would find and needing to know. To their relief it was Kate's captor who was lying dead on the ground not one of their own.

Ethan and Kate were both still on the floor. Ethan looked over at Kate she was trembling. He pulled himself into a sitting position and, careful of her injuries, pulled Kate into his arms. Kate buried her face in his neck and tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Hey," Ethan told her softly, "It's over now. No one else can hurt you."

"I know," Kate whispered, "It's just everything happened so fast and I was so sure I was going to die. And all the things he was saying about you guys being killed…I don't know."

"I know," he whispered holding her close, "I know." He stroked her hair gently until the tears subsided and she looked up.

"Is everyone else okay?" she asked concerned.

"There just fine," Ethan assured her, "hang on." He unbuttoned his shirt hand handed it to her. She nodded her thanks and slipped it around her bare shoulders and buttoned it back up.

"Thanks," she said as he pulled her to her feet. She looked to the door where the whole team was watching her. "Are you guys alright?" she asked walking forward.

No one move for a moment then Abby walked forward, and pulled her into a hug. Kate winced and Abby pulled back, "I'm sorry. I forgot he cut you."

"Jethro," Jenny spoke up, "Ducky should probably see her before very long."

"We also need to check to make sure no one else from this cell is still is still here because if they are we are in danger until they are dead.

"Ziva's right," Jenny remarked more to herself than anyone else, "Okay Ducky is back at the hotel, and we have to cars. Ethan why don't you, Kate, Tim, and Abby go back there and make sure Kate isn't going to drop over dead of blood loss. Jethro, Ziva, Tony, and I will stay her and make sure the place is clear then call it into authorities.

"Works for us," Ethan said glancing at Kate who nodded.

AN HOUR LATER OUTSIDE THE ONCE UNDISCLOSED LOCATION NOW KNOW TO BE AN ABANDONED JAIL ON THE OUTSCIRTS OF TOWN

"And there they are," Jenny said pointing to the out the flashing police cars that pulled up at that moment.

"Hello I'm Jennifer Shepard," Jenny said extending her hand, "I am the director of NCIS and there are the body of several dead terrorists inside. Do you need formal statements?"

The police officer looked at her. "Yea," he said, "I'm going to need those."

"Okay, the really short version is this: One of my agents who was killed try years ago by a terrorist from this cell didn't really die and the cell tracked her down. She was in trouble and sent a letter to the woman who helped her go into hiding and she recruited the rest of that agents old team which was consequently her new team to come save her. The woman who received the letter is also the daughter of the director of Mossad and her brother, the directors son also helped." Jenny stopped and looked at the police officer.

"That is the short version?" he asked a little alarmed. Jenny thought about it for a moment then nodded. "Alright," the officer said, "you can't leave town until we have confirmed your story but you should be good to go."

KATE'S HOTEL ROOM

"Alright dear," Ducky said gently squeezing Kate's uninjured shoulder, "you should be just fine just go careful."

"Thank you, Ducky," Kate said hugging him.

"No problem dear," Ducky replied fondly, "we are just glad that you are back with us."

"So am I," Kate replied, "So am I." Then she walked to the door and let the others, who had been dutifully waiting in hall, in.

"Thank you guys," Kate said looking at the entire team and Ethan, "without you I would be dead twice over."

No one spoke for a second but then Jenny broke the silence, "I can't speak for anyone else but I know that if I was asked to do it all again, I would do it in a heartbeat."

The others nodded in agreement and Kate's eye flashed to Tony. "Come here for a second," she told him. He gave her a weird look but did as she asked. "Turn around," she asked and he did. She raised her hand and smacked him on the back of the head much the same way Gibbs did.

"Ow," Tony said rubbing the back of his head, "What was that for?"

"That was for telling Ziva that everyone would be better off if she died," Kate told him.

Tony's face went from confused to horrified at he remembered what Kate was talking about. "God, Ziva," he started, "I am so sorry. I didn't mean that it was just…" His sentence faded out of existence as his eyes begged for forgiveness. He started again, "I didn't mean it, I love you."

"What did you just say?" Ziva asked him.

Tony gulped but spoke confidently, "I said I loved you Ziva and I have for two and a half years. I'm not going to hide it anymore because life's to short."

Ziva looked at him for several moments considering what he had just said. He seemed to mean it with every fiber of his being. "I…I love you, too Tony," Ziva admitted and Tony grinned widely pulling her into a hug and planting a kiss firmly on her lips.

_**I think this chapter is not the best but not worst that I have written. I hope you liked the ending. I warned you at the beginning that there would be couples towards the end. Please Review.**_


	17. A Little Bit of Fun

_**Chapter 17. We are closing in on it now. This chapter is a different creature from what it started as…which is good because I like this version better. **_

_**Spoiler: none. **_

_**Disclaimer: It is not mine. Not the Song. Not the characters.**_

Several hours later the entire team was sitting in a small bar on the outskirts of Omaha, Nebraska. They had just wanted to let go everything that had happen in the past twenty four…forty eight…no one was really sure how long they had been in the this mess anymore. They were not really sure where they stood anymore but none of them really want to know where they were standing for fear that if they looked down there wouldn't be solid ground.

The team was sitting together at a large booth. Ethan was on one end with his arm around Kate's shoulders. Gibbs and Jenny were next to Kate and Ethan and though they were not actually holding hands they were sitting in close proximity to each other. Next to them was McGee and Abby who was throwing gleeful looks at Tony and Ziva. Tony and Ziva were sitting to the left of McGee and Abby. Tony's hand was wrapped gently around Ziva's. Ducky was sitting next to them watching the team with a gentle fondness.

They had come to this bar because it held no memories of the past days and they just wanted to escape. However fate was an ever persistent creature and had other plans. They had barely been there for fifteen minutes when a sort of scruffy looking man appeared from the back of the room and walked up to the stage.

"Alright tonight is music on demand," the man announced, "First song is Hideaway by Hilary Duff." The D.J. put a cd in to the sound system and the aforementioned song started to play.

_Hiding Away_

_Losing_

_the day_

_As if it doesn't really matter_

_Saying Goodbye_

_Scared to say why_

_Afraid it will shatter our world_

_Show me some faith now_

_Trust me somehow_

Gibbs, Tony, Abby, and McGee all looked at Ziva remembering when they had told good-bye. Abby especially felt the song hit her hard because her reason for saying goodbye was purely because she was scared of what would happen. Ziva had only asked for a little faith.

_Why are we keepin' our secret_

_Why are we hiding ourselves away_

_Anyway we can hide away_

_I dont wanna fake it_

_I wanna make you believe, what I say_

_I wont let you...hide away_

Tony squeezed Ziva's hand under the table. He too felt guilty for his actions toward her but he also hoped that he had made some amends. He had hidden it and he had not believed the one person he had sworn a long time ago that he would go to all cost to protect.

_Where do we go_

_How do we know_

_What we're ever really after_

_Sometimes it's clear_

_When you are here_

_Nothing can shatter our world_

_I need some faith now_

_To trust you somehow_

Jenny looked at Jethro. There was a time that she would have said that nothing could shatter their world but now it seemed like their world was made of glass. She didn't know why she had left Paris. Long ago she had a million reasons for leaving and why it was best for both of them. Over the past years all those reasons had turned to ashes a blown away in the wind until she had nothing left to hold on to and tell herself that was why she had left.

_Why are we keeping' our secret_

_Why are we hiding ourselves away?_

_Anyway we can hide away_

_I don't wanna fake it_

_I wanna make you believe what I say_

_I wont let you...hide away_

Jethro looked at Jenny. He wished that there was something he could say to make her believe that he still loved her because he did with all his heart. She had left him in Paris and he had been devastated but he had let her leave him a second time and that had almost cost her life. What had he been hiding from all these years?

_Maybe I, maybe I, maybe I'm losing_

_Maybe I, maybe I, maybe I'm OK_

_Turn around, look around, go around in circles_

_Don't run away, drift away, don't hide away_

Kate looked around her at the family that she had long thought lost to her. She had not seen them in almost three years but yet she still knew who they were as people and knew beyond a doubt that they all still cared for her. After all they had risked everything they had to save her. She might have been losing, but now she was doing just fine. She was done hiding and she was free to be a normal person again. Well not normal but she was free to live with out the fear of being murdered hanging over her.

_Why are we keeping' our secret_

_Why are we hiding ourselves away?_

_Anyway you can, hide away_

_I don't wanna fake it_

_I wanna make you believe what I say_

_Ohh what I say_

_Believe what I said_

_I wont let you hide away, hide away_

Ethan looked from Kate to Ziva to Jenny. He remembered the flight to Washington DC to tell the team of those three's capture. He hadn't know what to thing as they had questioned his words but he knew that deep down they all care for the girls. Seeing them now he knew that he had been wrong. It wasn't deep down. Anyone looking at them could tell that these eight belonged together.

_Hiding away, losing my day_

_As if it doesn't really matter_

It mattered. They all knew that it mattered. They had dealt with many things over the past three years and the past three days. They needed talk about it they need to repair the broken bridges and make sure they were all on even ground. However that was for tomorrow. Today was their time as a family finding the people they had lost over the past years…

_**How did you like it? Please Review. **_


	18. Simple Words and Simple Gestures

_**Chapter 18. Here is your new chapter. They will be two more chapters after this. Chapter 19 will be posted on the 25 and Chapter 20 will be posted on the 31. The reason is that I have a sense of poetic justice…or something…that just sounds cool. Either way enjoy the chapter.**_

_**Spoilers: Um…Kill Ari Part one…but not really.**_

_**Disclaimer: Ethan is. The rest aren't.**_

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER ON THE PLANE

They had been cleared to leave Omaha several hours early and Jenny had used her credentials to book a flight back to DC. Admittedly not many people flew from Omaha to DC on a Sunday afternoon. Either way they had all managed to get seats together. It was a smaller plane with two seats on either side of the isle. McGee and Abby were seated in row twenty. Tony and Ziva were in row twenty-one. Ducky was in twenty-two. Gibbs and Jenny were sitting in the row across the isle from Tony and Ziva. Kate and Ethan were sitting in the row behind Gibbs and Jenny.

Abby was sitting staring out the window as the ground fell away below them. They had made it through together that was the important part. They had risked everything they had held dear to them and won back things that they had thought long gone. However Abby couldn't help but thing about what could have happened.

Almost as if McGee knew what Abby was thinking he reached over and squeezed her shoulder. Neither one of them said anything neither one of them needed to. They both knew what the other was trying to convey to the other only by the small contact that they had.

A row behind them Tony and Ziva were working on a word search out of pure boredom. Both of them knew that they needed sort out who they were and where they stood in relation to each other, but neither one really wanted to do it at the present moment. The only thing they were sure of was that neither one had been lying when they confessed their love for each other. They had both truly meant that…it had just taken unfortunate circumstances to make them admit it.

Ducky looked around at the people who surrounded him. He cared for each of them. They were a family. Some of them had found their happy endings. Some of them were still on the road to find their happy ending. They would all get there together. That was the one thing that he was sure of.

Jenny and Gibbs sat across from Tony and Ziva. Jenny was looking out the window and Gibbs was tracing a circle with his thumb on the back of her hand. "Why did you do it Jen?" he asked her suddenly.

She turned, confused, to look at him, "Why did I do what Jethro?"

"Choose to become director of NCIS?" Gibbs asked still drawing circles on her hand.

"That's not what you want to know," Jenny slowly told him shaking her head, "you want to know why I left you in Paris."

"You know me too well," Gibbs told her.

"Don't you ever forget that," Jenny said smiling.

"The question…" Gibbs prompted.

"The question…" Jenny sighed, "When I left Paris I had a million reasons for leaving. I had convinced myself that leaving was the only way I could become what I wanted. I was wrong. In that moment I lost everything I had ever needed and gained everything I had ever wanted."

"What were some of your reasons?" Gibbs asked her.

"I had so many but over the years each and every one of them had turned to dust and blown away in the wind. I guess the only thing I have left is that I was afraid of getting hurt," Jenny admitted.

Jethro couldn't argue with that. He knew that he had hurt a number of women in his life. Jenny too had known that when they were together. "Are you still scared?"

"I've been burned by that fire," Jenny told him, "what I realized too late was that leaving you didn't take away the pain, but by that point I was gone and it was too late."

"You could have come back," Gibbs told her, "I would have forgiven you."

"I wouldn't have forgiven myself," Jenny said shaking her head, "I had to find my way home by a different path not by retracing my steps, because I had burned a bridge."

"Are you home?" Gibbs asked her, referring to the home in her metaphor not her actual home because they were still on the airplane.

"Yea I think I am," Jenny said.

"That's good cause I've missed you Jen," Jethro told her repeating almost exactly his words of three years ago when Jenny had first come to NCIS.

Behind Jenny and Gibbs, Kate and Ethan were talking quietly. "What are you planning to do when we get back to DC?" Kate asked him hesitantly.

"I am still part of Mossad," Ethan reminded her gently.

"And duty calls," Kate finished for him.

"Hey I don't want to go back to Mossad," Ethan said turning to her.

"Ethan," Kate said looking him straight in the eye, "I know that, but you can't get out of Mossad that easy."

"Being one of the directors children does make it rather difficult doesn't it?" Ethan agreed squeezing Kate's hand, "Ziva's been trying to get out since Ari went rouge."

"I would have expected that," Kate said thinking back to the days right after she had escaped the grips of death. "How soon are you going back to Israel?"

"I have a connection about an hour after we land in DC," Ethan said sadly and the both lapsed into silence.

"Kate," Ethan said after a moment, "you do realize that if father asks me to choose who I want released from Mossad I will tell him Ziva?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you," Kate smiled at him before turning to the window.

"And Kate," Ethan added placing a finger under her chin and turning her head to face him, "I promise you that someday we will get a chance to be together if that is what you want."

"I would like that very much," Kate replied with a small smile as they felt the planes wheels hitting the ground.

"Then until we see each other again," Ethan told her as his lips firmly but tenderly made contact with hers. Their first kiss was tender yet passionate. It was a silent message from Ethan saying that he loved her and he would come back someday, and a silent answer from Kate saying that she loved him too and when he came home she would be there waiting for him.

_**Did you like it? Please review. Reviews make me smile.**_


	19. Christmas

_**C**__**hapter 19. Okay first of all Merry Christmas. For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas: Happy Holidays. This is a Christmas chapter so I hope that is okay with everyone. Either way have a great day.  
Spoilers: Chapter I8**_

_**Disclaimer: Ethan is mine. I wish the rest were but they aren't.**_

FOUR WEEKS LATER

It was Christmas Day. Ziva and Kate had spent most of the previous day cooking Christmas dinner. The team had decided to hold Christmas dinner at Ziva's house because she wanted to make up for the previous dinner, which had been interrupted. Even though Ziva was Jewish and none of the team, with the exception of Kate, was very religious. However all of them believed in the message that Christmas enforced. The message that said it was a time of giving, friendship, love, and peace.

Both Kate and Ziva were early risers so they were just putting the finishing touches on the breakfast when the doorbell rang. Kate went to open the door and was knocked backwards as Abby threw herself Kate to administer a rib-cracking hug. "You can come in Tim," Kate told him over Abby's shoulders. McGee nodded coming in and closing the door behind him.

The four of them sat in the living room for several minutes not really talking, just waiting. Then the doorbell rang again Kate got up to open the door. Jenny and Gibbs were standing there and Jenny was holding a bowl of something that smelled really good. "Jenny," Kate said in exasperation, "How many times did we tell you that we," she gesture to Ziva who had come to the door too, "were making Christmas dinner?"

"Seven," Jenny answered, "Do you want the sinkerdoodles or not?"

Kate looked at Ziva and Ziva looked back. "I think we could make an exception," Ziva said and Kate nodded enthusiastically and took the offered cookies. She walked away towards the kitchen and once she was out of sight of the door she popped the lid off.

"Caitlin," Jenny called, "Those cookies are for after dinner."

Kate looked down at the box and put the lid back on. "Yes mother," she replied rolling her eyes. Putting the cookies on the table she walked back into the living room to join the others. Once again the doorbell rang, but this time Ziva got up before Kate.

Walking out of the living room and into the hall Ziva opened the door. Tony pulled Ziva into a hug and planted a kiss on top of her head. After about a minute he let her go and found that the rest of the team standing around them. "Hi," Tony said smiling at them.

Together the eight of them (Ducky was with he mother so he couldn't come) walked into Ziva's kitchen where there was a large array of breakfast rolls. Everybody took a few and they all migrated back into the living room to eat.

When they had all finished their food Abby was the first to propose the next course of action. "Stockings," she yelled and got up to pass them out. Once everyone had theirs they tore into it with excitement.

Thirty minutes later the living room was covered in paper and everyone was holding their favorite thing out of their stocking. Abby was holding a miniature version of Bert. McGee was holding a set of calligraphy pens. Tony was holding a book of movie quotes. Ziva was holding wearing a new Star of David necklace because the old one had gotten lost sometime over the past month and a half. Jenny was holding a miniature model of the Eiffel Tower. Gibbs was holding a cup of coffee (Jenny had found a thermos with a very tight lid put it in his stocking just before he opened it). Kate was also wearing a necklace but hers was a locket that said ~Yours Forever~E.D. (Ethan had sent it to Ziva to put in Kate's stocking.)

After stockings the team began opening their presents. They opened on present at a time and worked their way around the circle in a clock-wise circle. Abby was first and squealed as she tore the paper off a new I-pod from Tony who had broken her last one. McGee's eyes lit up as he carefully untapped the wrapping paper on Kate and Abby's joint gift: a new typewriter. Tony grinned widely as he pulled two tickets for a historic theater out of the box. "Thanks boss," Tony said happily, "Thanks director."

"Don't thank me," Gibbs grunted, "she bought them and put my name on the little sticker."

Tony shrugged and watched as Ziva removed the paper from her present from McGee, Abby, and Kate. The only thing in the box was piece of paper that said: This is good for two tickets to Israel on us. ~Kate, Abby, Tim. Ziva smiled at the three of them as she leaned against Tony. Gibbs was next and smiled as he took the paper off a picture of the eight members of the team: him, Jenny, Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abby, Kate, and Ducky. The picture was housed in a frame that said: family is forever.

Jenny opened her present from Gibbs and found a smallish book. Opening it she realized that is was pictures and notes from when they were in Paris. Inside the front cover there was a note. Picking it up she read it to herself.

_Jenny,_

_Paris was one of the best times of my life. I hope that you felt the same. Either way I wanted you to have this as a reminder of our past and I just wanted to say sorry for whatever I did that made you feel you needed to leave. I never meant to hurt you._

_Love Always,_

_Jethro_

By the time she finished reading she realized that there were tears running down her cheeks. There were almost always tears when she thought of Paris but today they were tears of joy. Gibbs reached over and wiped the tears away. "Thank you," Jenny said kissing him on the cheek, "I love it."

Kate reached down to pick up a present but Jenny handed her one instead. Kate looked surprised but opened it. Inside was a note with four words: look in the closet. Kate shot Jenny a quizzical look but did as the note instructed and walked over the coat closet. She opened the door to reveal Ethan standing in the closet. He opened his arms and a completely shocked Kate walked into them. He held her close to him for several minutes before Jenny called, "Kate do us a favor and show the rest of us your present." Finally Kate and Ethan let go of each other and Ethan put his arm around her waist as they walked back into the living room.

Everyone except Jenny and Gibbs gasped. Jenny leaned against Gibbs and smiled widely. Their people were all back together, and they were there to stay. Jenny spoke up, "This present comes with strings." Everyone looked slightly alarmed but Jenny shook her head. "Good strings. I talked to Eli," Ziva and Ethan exchange a look, "You are both released from Mossad." Ziva's eyes lit up and Tony cheered. Ethan squeezed Kate tightly. "Ziva and Kate," Jenny addressed them, "Both of you now have jobs if you want them at NCIS. Ethan if you would like one I could probably secure one for you too. The one flaw is that only one of you three can be on Gibbs team. The other one or two of you, depending on Ethan's choice, will be joining Paula Cassidy's team."

"Jenny," Kate said with a very wide smile, "This is the best Christmas present I have ever gotten." Jenny smiled.

SEVERAL HOURS AND A LOT OF WRAPPING PAPER LATER

Once all the presents were unwrapped the women of the team went to set up the table, while the men stayed in the living room. There was silence for a moment but then Gibbs spoke quietly. "You three listen to me," Gibbs told them quietly so the women wouldn't here, "Those are god women you are dating and if you hurt them then you answer to me. Got it?"

McGee and Tony both nodded vigorously and Ethan replied, "Yes Gibbs." None of the three, or four of them if you count Gibbs, intended on hurting their girls. They would rather remove their own arm with a chainsaw.

"Dinner," Jenny called from the kitchen, and the four men trouped into the kitchen. Taking their assigned seats they began to eat the salad. "Is this the same dressing you used at dinner a month ago?" Tony asked.

"Yes, it is," Ziva confirmed.

"What's in it?" Tony asked the same question he had asked a month before when fate had interrupted them.

"It is 1 part vinegar, 2 parts olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt."

_**So how did you like it? Please review it would make me happy. After this you get on more chapter.  
**_


	20. Life and Love

_**Alright here is the final chapter of this story. There will be a sequel. I will start posting that in late January and early February. I hope you like this one. I wrote it around midnight so that is why there may be inconsistencies.**_

_**Disclaimer: Ethan is.**_

_**Spoilers: No.**_

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Paula Cassidy's new team had been given the four desks behind Gibb's teams in the squad room. It wasn't ideal for them but it was the best they could manage in a space that really was not designed for that many people. Currently only Paula's team was working on a case.

Kate was working at the desk that was separated from McGee's by only a flimsy cubical wall. She was currently trying to track down all of their victim's online transactions in the last year, and not having much luck doing it. Leaning around the thin wall she poked McGee on the shoulder. "Could you help me with this?" she asked him.

McGee rolled his eyes. Kate was an excellent agent when she was on Gibbs team and her time in Italy had only improved that, but there were still certain tasks that she had not quiet figured out. Usually Ethan did this for their team but he was currently elsewhere. "You do realize that you will have to learn how to do this?" McGee asked her.

Kate just smiled as he rolled his chair around and started typing on her computer. He pulled up the necessary information in about a minute and a half. "Thank you," Kate said.

At that moment both Paula and Ethan reappeared. "Got anything?" Paula asked.

"Um yes," Kate said displaying the list of transactions on the plasma, "He made a thousand dollar deposit to the same off-shore account every month for the past two years."

"He was a petty officer," Paula said shaking her head, "he doesn't make a thousand dollars a month. Let me check something." Paula walked over to her computer and began typing. She was their team leader but usually only in name. For the most part all three of them worked together as equals using each other's strengths. "I was right," Paula said, "walking back to the other two. He came from a middle class family. No great inheritance, but do you remember the clothes we found him in?"

"Yes," Kate said putting the evidence pictures up on the screen, "that type of clothes can't come cheep."

"Tony, come here a second," Paula told him across the bullpen.

Tony ignored her and continued to talk to Ziva. Suddenly he felt a hand make contact with the back of his head. "Go help them with their case," Gibbs told him sitting down at his desk.

"Sorry boss," Tony said hurrying across the bullpen to join Paula's team at the plasma, "What do you need?"

"About how much would each of these be?" Kate asked pointing to the evidence pictures on the screen.

Tony whistled. "That is some nice stuff," he told them, "the shirt is probably a 300. The pants are closer to 500. The shoes have got to be maybe 800. The watch is 1200."

"People spend that much on cloths?" Kate asked.

"Yea," Tony said shrugging. He turned around to go back to his desk and found Ziva standing right in front of him.

"Don't do that," Tony told her. She just smiled as they walked back to their side of the bullpen and continued their conversation.

Paula and Kate looked at each other. "We assumed he moving the money into someone else's account," Ethan pointed out.

"He was taking the money from one of the Navy's accounts," Paula concluded.

"Who would kill him?" Ethan asked.

"Someone who found out?" Paula suggested.

"His partner," Kate said, "he never takes the money out so someone has to."

"This guy might not be as computer savvy," Kate suggested, "because he didn't actually do any of the computer tinkering."

"What about the guy he shared a room with?" Paula asked.

"Check his bank records," Kate told Ethan. Ethan nodded and walked over to Kate's computer, and clicked several buttons. Pulling up the financially records of the dead officer's roommate Ethan sighed.

"Bingo," Kate said looking at the large deposits that had been made as well as large with-drawls.

"So shall we bring this guy in?" Paula asked.

"Sure," Kate agree, "You talk to him and I profile."

"Yep," Paula said as both of them headed towards the elevator.

The weeks back home had done wonders for Kate. She still remembered vividly the experience in Nebraska but she was much more her old self. It would take a while to get back to normal and she would never be the person she was before, but she was going to be just fine.

A COUPLE HOURS LATER

Paula and Kate emerged from their respective sides of the mirror that showed the interrogation room. They both wore the triumphant look they normally wore when they solve a case. The stood by side as Ethan led the roommate of the victim down the hall in handcuffs.

After the criminal was handed off to his new best friends (the guards to escort him to the prison) the three investigators returned to the bullpen. Tony was sitting on the coroner of Ziva's desk while she was pretending to read but really listening to Tony's idle chatter. Abby had come up as was discussing the best way to embezzle money. Gibbs and Jenny were standing on the catwalk over looking every thing.

Paula walked over to McGee and Abby and began throwing in suggestions she had gotten from previous cases as well as the one they had just finished working. Kate and Ethan walked over to Kate's desk. Where Ethan turned and looked her straight in the eye.

"Kate we have officially been dating for three months or so," Ethan told her, "but we have been unofficially dating for nearly three and a half years now. If this is too soon just tell me but the adventure, would you call it, in Nebraska make me remember just how precious life could be."

Kate looked at Ethan curiously. She had no clue where he was going with this little speech, but was acutely aware that everyone had dropped deadly silent and was watching.

"I guess what I am trying to say is," Ethan paused as he got down on one knew and pulled out a little velvet box. "Will you marry me?"

Kate's eye widened. Ethan was asking her to marry him. The entire room was watching with bated breath.

"Yes."

**_Well there you go. Anyone who reviews this chapter will be informed of when the first chapter of the other one goes up. Happy New Years because it is now 2010!!!_**

_**Thank you for all the reviews on this story.**_

_**Peace Hugs NCIS**_


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